Author's Note:
I hope you're enjoying the pace of the story. Let me know if you feel that some parts drag on more than others!
-Tangent
After calming the man named Geralan down, he managed to tell Ean the full story.
"My.. fiancée Simini and I met in town. Her father never approved of me, being a traveling merchant and all, but she was always so kind to me. We fell in love, and I proposed a few months ago. We lived together, but one day the sultan's soldiers came to visit. They said the sultan had already proposed to Simini, and they were her to take her to him." I tried to resist, but they dragged her away.
"That's awful!" Iya gasped.
"Aye, lass. I've been trying to negotiate with the sultan, but just today I tried to get into the palace, and the guards told me they had orders to arrest me on sight. So now I wait until I am found, and then I suppose I'll be dragged to the dungeons." Ean felt anger beginning to burn in his gut.
"Don't worry, Geralan. We will speak to the sultan." At hearing this, the brown-skinned man fell down at their feet, tears beginning to flow again.
"You would do that? I…" Rye lifted him to his feet.
"Come on, man. You should stay inside while we figure this out."
"I suppose so." Geralan said. After he was situated inside his house, the party turned to leave.
"Wait!" The man called. "Can you… give her this message if you see her?" He handed Ean a scroll of paper, and he pocketed it.
"It shall be delivered." Saying goodbye, the party left the house and headed back up the main street.
"What an awful man." Iya seethed. "I can't…" The matter was of some importance to the female elf, as she also had been dragged away from the people she considered family.
"It's okay." Ean laid a hand on her arm. "We won't let the sultan get away with this." As they approached the palace gates, one of the guards hailed them.
"Ho, there! You are the heroes, yes?"
"Correct. May we enter?" Ean asked, and the guard nodded.
"Indeed, sir." The gates swung open, and the party made their way through the gardens once more. As they entered the great hall, Ean turned to one of the soldiers on duty.
"Pardon me, sir, but I'm looking for a woman named Simini."
"The sultan's wife? What for?" The man asked brusquely, and Ean held up the parchment.
"I have a letter for her, from her family." The guard pointed to a staircase on the left which spiraled upwards.
"Take those stairs, and her quarters are through the double doors at the end of the hallway." Ean thanked him, and the group moved quickly up the stairs and into the residential wing. The decorations were slightly less noticeable, but the rooms still seemed very nice indeed. As they approached two guards standing outside Simini's room, one raised a weapon.
"Hold on, there. What's your business?"
"I have a message for the queen, from her family." Ean said, and the guards glanced at each other.
"The Queen is currently… indisposed. Perhaps you should come back later." The man said, and the door behind him swung open. Standing there was a very beautiful woman, wearing flowing red robes that matched her jet-black hair.
"I couldn't help but overhear. Right this way, please." The guards bowed, and Ean entered the suites of the queen. As she closed the door, she immediately moved to the far side of the room and sank down into a chair, covering her face. Ean heard a faint sob.
"Are you… alright?" He said, kneeling down next to the woman. "I have a message from Geralan." At the mention of her lover, the woman looked up and seized Ean's collar.
"Where is he? Is he safe?" Her bloodshot eyes looked slightly wild, and Ean handed her the letter. She opened it, and her whole demeanor changed to one suffused with relief. "He's alive… thank the goddess…" She turned to them. "My thanks for bringing this."
"It's no problem. We're here to get you out of here." Ean said quietly, glancing at the door. Simini lowered her voice as well, evidently nervous.
"It's no use. The sultan would kill me!"
"What if we struck a deal?" Jack asked, a small smile on his face. "Give him an offer he can't refuse?" Simini glanced at the boy, her brow creased.
"It could work… He is quite selfish, but what could you offer?" Ean shrugged.
"I'm not too sure, honestly. Firstly, I will ask you this: Do you want to be reunited with Geralan?"
"Oh, yes." Simini breathed. "I love him more than anyone in the world." Gavin felt a pang in his heart, and he brushed it away with irritation.
"Then we shall free you." Ean said, bowing before here. "Come, we must speak to the sultan." Exchanging goodbyes, then left the apartments and headed back down the hallway.
"What can we offer him?" Rye asked.
"I'm not sure. A favor, or something?" Ean said. "Depends on what he wants." As they entered the throne room, they saw the sultan sitting on his throne once again.
"Ah, the elves return. What is it this time?" He demanded as they approached.
"We have come to request that you allow Simini to return to her lover." Iya said cautiously. The sultan scoffed.
"That girl? Please. She's much too beautiful to be wasted on some commoner."
"But she loves him!" Iya argued. "What right do you-"
"I am the sultan. What I say goes." The sultan said angrily, eyes flashing.
"What about a trade?" Ean interceded. "What would be worth giving up Simini?"
"Hmmm…." The sultan frowned. "Bring me… something as rare as her."
"Like what?" Rye asked.
"I'm not too sure. I guess you'll have to figure it out. If you can't, I arrest her lover and put him in the cells for life. I will give you… one week." Ean knew there was no other alternative, so he nodded.
"We accept."
"Good. Now, get out." The sultan said. And they did.
"What are we going to do?" Gavin asked, looking confused.
"Well, let's think." Ean said. "What do you think he would deem sufficient?"
"Something from outside the desert." Jack said. "Something nobody else has ever seen, ideally." His eyes widened. "Ean, give me the journal." The elf passed it to him, and he flipped through the pages feverishly. Finding it, he gestured to a note Ean had written. "Here." Ean took it back, reading.
"Of course! The egg from the mountains! Who else has ever seen that before?"
"That seems like a good idea." Rye put in. "But how do we get it?"
"I'll go." Ean said. "I'm the most agile of all of us. Gavin, you'll come with me."
"I should-" Rye began, but Ean held up a hand.
"No. I need you to protect Iya."
"I'm not a child, Ean." Iya said angrily. "You're the one going into danger, and I won't-"
"You don't get it!" Ean hissed as they strode down the street. "You are the most valuable person in the entire world right now, and I feel much better with Rye and Jack watching your back." When Iya did not respond, he put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not doubting your capability, but nobody is invincible. Besides, I'm pretty sure the school of magic in Seri is going to contact us soon."
"You think so?" Iya asked, and the other elf nodded. She sighed deeply. "Fine. You better not get hurt, or I'll be quite angry. When will you leave?"
"Tomorrow morning." Ean said. "We teleport back to the mountains using the Magic Express, but it'll take probably most of the day to get the egg. We could be back by tomorrow evening, most likely."
"Sounds good to me." Gavin said. "I'll prep some scrolls and other things. Rye, you have that grappling hook?"
"It's back at the inn." The man responded. "Should be long enough for that cliff." Gavin nodded, and the party made their way back to the inn, where they spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying the sights of the town.
That night, Iya thought she heard a voice calling to her from a distant place.
Hurry, please…
Jack was moving through the marketplace, scanning the area for an item that would suit his needs. Rye and Iya were not far behind, although they were looking at another stall. As he passed by a small stand, occupied by an elderly man, he saw that the man had on display several pendants, each of which was made with silver and set with a glimmering jewel. Each jewel, according to the card below it, imbibed the wearer with different properties, such as strength, protection, and fortitude.
This would be perfect. Jack thought, and his hand moved of its own accord, reaching out slyly towards the necklace. The merchant was so distracted, it would be easy to…
No! He jerked his hand back, torn. He had no money, but to ask the others would be relying on them not himself. He wanted to do this with his own merits. Besides, Iya and Rye were nowhere in sight.
Is stealing a merit? The voice asked insidiously, but he shook it off. The hand moved forward, then backwards, then forwards again. Agonized, he made the one mistake he had learned never to make again: getting caught in the act. The merchant had seen it all, and he lunged for the boy, who jerked away in shock.
"Thief!" The word rang through the air, knocking Jack out of his guilty haze. Doing the one thing he knew how, he ran through the market, bolting between stalls and knocking over stands in his haste. People shouted, and one attempted to grab him, but he dashed between them and flung himself down a side street. He passed several alleys, the commotion growing fainter and fainter. Finally, he ducked into a corner and leaned back against the wall. Safe.
"I can't go back now." He whispered. "What do I-"
"Jack." He spun to see Iya standing there, her mouth a thin line. Her staff was out, and she looked more frustrated than she had ever seen. "There was a commotion in the market just now. A young boy stole an item from a vendor. Do you know anything about that?"
"I… I…" He stammered, backing further away.
"Empty your pockets, please." He considered running again, but the burning weight of the necklace in his pants weighed him down, and he pulled it out and handed it to Iya. She looked at it, and he felt the unfamiliar sting of tears in his eyes, and he shook his head furiously to clear them. Looking up again, he saw that Iya wore a confused look.
"What is it?"
"A necklace. It's supposed to provide… protection." He said quietly, looking down at his feet.
"But… why?" The female elf asked, her voice a lot softer than it had previously been. "Do you feel that we aren't protecting you as we should? After all, Ean did promise."
"No, it's not. It's…" Jack hesitated, not wanting to sound stupid or childish. Iya looked at him, and he saw an unexpected depth of empathy in her eyes. "I wanted to get it for Ean. As a thank you." He saw surprise in her eyes, and then sadness.
"You could have asked me or Rye. We would have understood. Do you not trust us?"
"No, I…" Jack choked on his words once more. Why could he not make it clear? "I do trust you, all of you. Even Gavin. But I've never accepted help from anyone with stuff like this, so I feel like it wouldn't be a gift from me." Iya frowned.
"Jack, you're part of the group. You've helped us out a lot, and I personally think you're a good kid. It's a shame that you felt the need to do something like this." Putting the necklace in her pocket, she stood back from her kneeling position.
"What are you going to do?" Jack asked, panicking. "What will you do to me?"
"That's for Ean to decide." She said quietly. "Not me. But I am returning this." Suddenly, footsteps sounded from the street outside, and Rye appeared, escorting two other strangers. They were dressed in brown and yellow robes, and both carried curved swords.
"There you are! What happened?" He seemed to calm down visibly at the sight of his friend.
"I'll explain later." Iya said. "Who are they?" One of the men stepped forward, bowing slightly.
"We are students at the School of Battle Magic in Seri. Our master, knowing your power, requests your presence immediately." Iya looked at Rye, who nodded. Behind her, Jack was still despondent.
"We will come. Lead the way." She said, and the group set off through the winding streets of Seri.
Ean let out a tired breath as he and Gavin surveyed the entrance to the caverns of the Graystone Mountains. Even with the Magic Express, they still had to move quickly through the mountains to make up for lost time. Besides him, Gavin seemed similarly tired from their increased pace.
"Come on, we're almost there." The elf said. "We can rest at the top." The duo set off once again. Thankfully, their now vastly superior armor and weapons made the various foes they had encountered easy to defeat. As they entered the cave, a though occurred to Gavin.
"Hey, I noticed something. Does there seem to be less monsters in the mountains than before?"
"I've noticed that as well. Perhaps this means that areas such as here and the desert can be purged completely." Ean said. "I'll have to mention it to Uthar, perhaps his men can handle it."
"Agreed." Gavin said. "It's just so fascinating. Perhaps there is some ancient lore that could help us stop them from spawning permanently." Ean nodded, unsure of Gavin's actual knowledge on such subjects.
"If I recall, the egg was to the left at that large fork." He said as they moved through the stony caves. It was quiet, and Ean felt Edward stirring within at the familiar surroundings.
"I never asked: Do you know how you ended up here?" He felt the cyclops's uncertainty.
"I… do not know."
"Perhaps whatever force sent us to various places sent him here to isolate him. I have a sort of theory, I suppose." Amari put in.
"Go on." Ean said.
"It seems that we, however many of us there are now, were placed in areas to prevent people from making contact with other groups. Vincent was in the Shadow Woods, I was in Brightwood Forest, and now we know that Edward was in the mountains. All of this seems like it was.. designed, I suppose?"
"It makes sense." Ean said. "I suppose we need more memories to make sense of it all."
"True." said Amari.
Gavin nudged Ean, who snapped out of his trance to look around.
"Sorry." He said. "Come on, the egg is this way." They followed the cave as it sloped upwards, turning left and right until they saw daylight shining ahead of them. As they emerged onto the cliffs once more, Ean let out a deep breath.
"We made it." He peered over the edge of the cliff, and saw the egg below them, in the same nest in had been in last time. Gavin looked as well, reaching into his pack and pulling the rope from within the enchanted depths.
"So, if I hook this here…" He said as he wrapped the hook around a nearby rock, securing the rope to create an anchor. Tossing the rope over the edge, he checked to make sure it was long enough. "It's all yours." Ean grinned.
"Don't want to go yourself?"
"Hey, I'm not the athletic one." Gavin returned. Ean rolled his eyes and shimmied over the edge of the cliff, gripping the rope. He felt Amari feed him a trickle of energy, and his grip on the rope tightened, allowing him to move quicker. After a few seconds, his feet hit the rock once more, and he turned to see the egg up-close for the first time.
It was the size of his head, with streaks of beautiful color shot through it to form a pattern that was very aesthetically pleasing. He seized it and secured it firmly in his pack, surprised at how light the object was.
"The egg is empty." Amari noted. "That's why it's still here."
"Everything good?" Gavin called. "The rope is still secured. I checked."
"Thanks, I'm coming up now." Ean called back, looking around. The top of the mountains were still covered in fog and clouds, making it hard to see their surroundings. He climbed the rope once more, and Gavin pulled him over the edge as he reached the top. He caught his breath while Gavin stowed the rope once more.
"Okay, we've got it. Time to get back while we still have light." Ean said, checking the position of the sun. "I think we can make it by an hour or two after nightfall."
"Lead the way, captain." Gavin said with a mock salute.
Iya glanced around the wide, circular area that was the main room of the School of Battle Magic. In front of her, an elderly woman, wearing a sweeping yellow robe was addressing her for the first time. Around the edge of the room, several of her students watched the conversation with interest.
"You are her?" the woman asked. "The child of prophecy?"
"I am." Iya said firmly, summoning her song orb into her hand. "I have come at your request." Behind her, Rye and Jack were leaning against the far wall.
"I am the teacher at this school. I sense you have already learned the skills of chaos from my compatriot in Thais. I smell the storm and fire upon you, elf. This is why I will teach you another form of magic, one suited for battle. But you must fulfill one condition."
"What is it?" Iya asked, gripping her staff. She thought she knew what was coming.
"We fight, child. Show me what you are made of." The woman rapped a sword upon the ground three times, and a barrier encircled the two of them, cutting off both Rye, Jack, and the other students. Iya spun her staff, getting ready to do battle.
"I accept." She said, and the woman moved with blinding speed. Slashing downward with her sword, she sent a flurry of projectiles at Iya.
"Arrows?" Rye said in shock as the weapons flew through the air towards the elf. She dodged them, moving to one side and flicking a fireball at the woman. The fireball hit her, but flickered out uselessly as the teacher summoned a golden shield around her. She lunged, swinging her sword at the elf, who was forced to try and parry the blows that were raining down upon her.
I can't win at close range! Iya leapt back, hurling two waves of earth and ice at her enemy, who merely stepped away and made a flicking motion with her blade. A dagger of yellow light materialized and flew towards Iya, catching her on the arm and drawing blood. She staggered, but kept moving around the edge of the circle as more weapons soared towards her.
She can't cast a spell immediately after using one. If I can exploit the gap, I can end this right now. Suddenly, her opponent made a new move, slamming both hands onto the ground. Yellow light materialized around her, taking on the shape of a massive weapon, aimed straight at Iya.
"Look out!" Rye bellowed as the cannon roared, blasting a shell towards the wide-eyed elf. Thinking instinctively, Iya summoned a massive wall of earth from the ground, intercepting the shell halfway to her. It exploded with a deafening blast, consuming everything within the circle in smoke. Several of the students stood up, and Jack ran forward.
"Iya!" He cried, banging on the barrier as the smoke cleared. The elf was lying on the ground, stunned by the concussive blast. The master of the school approached, swinging her sword slowly. "Get up!" She stirred slowly, looking up at the boy on the other side of the wall.
"I…" She murmured, shaking her head to clear it.
"Come on! Are you going to let her beat you?" Jack demanded, and Iya shook her head, slowly getting to her feet.
"Very good, child." The woman said, rushing forward and swinging her blade downwards. Iya deflected it with her staff and flung her hand out. Fire, hotter than any she had ever conjured before, roared outward in a wave which forced the woman to leap backwards, and Iya smiled.
"Got you." She said, clenching her other fist. Rocks burst from the ground, stretching upwards to reach around for the woman and wrapping around her legs. She tried to cut herself free, but the stone ripped her sword from her grasp, and all went still.
"Well?" Iya said quietly, fists still clenched.
"I submit. That was well fought." The woman said, and the golden barrier disappeared. She retrieved her weapon, and Rye rushed over to Iya to check on her injuries. Thankfully, she was merely rattled from the blast. Around the room, the other students wore awestruck expressions at seeing their teacher defeated.
"You are more than strong enough to wield this magic. To aid you in your quest, I give you this orb to master." The woman said, holding her hand out in front of her. Golden light gathered in her palm, taking the shape of an orb that pulsed and shimmered like the others the elf had seen. This orb gave off an aura of power, something more physical than magical. Iya raised her hand and caught the song orb as it floated towards her, eyes wide as she felt the power added to her own. She bowed to the woman, who smiled.
"Thank you."
"Go forth, young Tiki." Turning, Iya and the others left the building without a further word, leaving the astonished students behind.
As they strode back through the streets, Iya focused on the new power she could feel within her palms. It was a lot more fierce than the other orbs, almost like a blade or arrow. She supposed that if she tried, she could manifest daggers and other weapons with the magic. Glancing at Jack, she saw that he still wore a glum expression. She was torn about what to do with him. What would Ean think? Would he send the boy away?
The sun began to set a few hours later, and there was no sign of Ean or Gavin.
"I'm sure they're alright." Rye said. "It's a long journey, but they're more than prepared."
"Of course." Iya murmured from the chair next to him. Jack had been up in his room, and she rose to head for the stairs. "I'm going to go talk to him." She had told Rye what had occurred, and he had refrained from passing judgement at her request.
"Good luck." He said as she vanished up the wooden stairs. Stopping outside Jack's door, she knocked on it.
"Come in." The boy said, and she entered hesitantly. Jack was sitting on the bed, looking at the wall.
"We never finished our conversation." She said, and Jack frowned.
"What else is there?" Sitting down next to him, she crossed her legs and studied him for a moment. He was angry, maybe at himself, but he was sad as well.
"I want to know why." She said, and Jack's head snapped up.
"Why… what?"
"Why you became a thief." Iya said, and his eyes bore into her head.
"That's none of your business." The elf shifted on the bed, unsure as to how to proceed.
"Jack… I'm not trying to pry into your life. But you were a child when you became a master thief. You still are, technically. Something had to have happened, or you needed something badly enough to steal. Every time I look at you, I'm reminded of a child who grew up too fast." Her tone was sad, and Jack felt a prickle in his heart.
"I… I don't know if I can trust you. Not with this." He muttered, and Iya patted him on the shoulder.
"Ean and I have sworn to protect you, but more importantly, to help you. You just have to give us the chance."
"I…" Jack said, mind racing.
Can I trust them? Even with this? And suddenly, he saw an image of his sister blooming before him, speaking the last thing he remembered about her:
I will find you one day.
"I had a sister named Violet." He said quietly. "My family was poor, and I stole to give her a better life. But it was all taken away, and I had nobody left." The words fell from his mouth quickly and quietly, leaving him no time to think. "I turned back to thieving with nowhere to go. I hoped that, one day, I could make enough money to leave Thais and find them again. But then I met him."
"The man who petrified you?" Iya asked, and the boy nodded.
"He offered me a ton of money to retrieve a valuable magic artifact. It would have been enough to leave, certainly. I spent weeks planning the theft, and I managed to pull it off. But on my way back, I was jumped by two men who took the scroll and vanished, leaving me with no payment. He had tricked me." Jack took a deep breath. "I was… angry. I broke into his house and began stealing everything from him, but he caught me one night." He shuddered at the memory. "I ran to the sewers, but he trapped me in there. The last thing I remember is him casting a spell, and then… nothing. So there, now you know." He turned him back on Iya, blinking hard to prevent tears spilling from his eyes. Suddenly, he felt an arm on his shoulder, and Iya pulled him into a hug.
"I'm sorry that you had to deal with that, Jack." She let go after a few seconds, and Jack looked up at her
"So, what will you do with me?" Iya frowned thoughtfully.
"Hold out your hand." Jack did so, slightly confused. Reaching into her pack, she retrieved a small box and placed it in his hand. "Open it, please." Jack pulled the lid off, and his eyes widened.
Inside the box, there was a small silver necklace that glittered in the lamplight. Jack's fingers touched the cool metal and the shining blue gem, and he felt his hand shake slightly.
"How… why did you…"
"I brought it back later, and told the man I'd taken it from you. I decided to buy it." As Jack lifted it from the box, he saw that there was not one, but two necklaces in the box. "You may have lost your family, Jack, but you will always have a place with us." He looked at the elf, and he saw nothing but support and faith in her eyes. "These necklaces signify that."
"I…" The boy was overwhelmed by the gift. "After everything I did…"
"We all make mistakes, but yours was rooted in a desire to repay Ean for everything he's done for you. It was not wrong to want to give him a gift. I too owe him everything…" Her voice trailed off, and Jack saw that she was blushing slightly.
"Thank you, Iya." He said quietly. "I won't forget this." She patted him on the shoulder, and somebody knocked on the door.
"Iya?" Rye called "Gavin and Ean are back!"
"We're coming!" She called, rising from the bed. Jack stood up as well.
"Iya… do you think he'll like it?" She smiled at him.
"Of course, if it's a gift." They left the room and headed down to the bar, where Ean and Gavin were sitting tiredly.
"Thank goodness you're safe." She said, smiling at them. Ean's eye met hers, and he smiled. She felt heat spread up her cheeks, but she ignored it. "Did you get it?" Ean pulled the egg from his pack triumphantly, and she gasped. It was beautiful, with the light from the fire reflecting off of it to make it seem somehow alive. Rye and Jack were similarly impressed.
"I think this ought to do it." Gavin said with a grin. "We'll bring it by tomorrow."
"And secure Simini's freedom in the process." Iya said grimly.
Their predictions proved to be accurate. Upon revealing the egg, the sultan had gasped and seized it, peering into its depth for a full five minutes. He seemed quite enthralled with the egg, and Ean coughed quietly to remind him that they were here.
"Um… sultan?" The man looked up confusedly.
"Oh, yes? You're still here…" He muttered.
"Can Simini be released?" Ean asked patiently. "That was the deal."
"Oh, go ahead and take her. I can find hundreds like her, but this…" The sultan said dismissively. "This is more valuable." Jared, standing nearby, motioned for them to follow him. They did so, and they left the sultan still cradling the egg in an extremely possessive fashion. They walked to Simini's quarters, and Jared knocked upon the door.
"Lady Simini?" She opened it, her eyes widening at the sight of the party.
"How did it go?"
"You're free to leave." Ean said with a smile. Simini's eyes widened, and tears welled up at the edges.
"I… really?" Jared nodded.
"Of course, my lady. I am so sorry about the sultan's selfishness." Simini waved the apology away.
"Please, I'd rather forget that man as soon as possible. Take me to Geralan, if you will."
"Of course. Jared, we've got it from here." Rye said, and the man nodded slightly. Simini seemed tense as they passed through the throne room, but the sultan was gone, no doubt to secure his newfound treasure.
"What will you do, once you've reunited with Geralan?" Gavin asked.
"I… I'm not sure, but I don't think we could stay in Seri." Simini said. "I'll have to discuss it with him." They continued through the streets until they reached Geralan's house, which looked to be vacant. Ean knocked on the door, and he heard a man cry out.
"I'm coming!"
"Geralan, it's us!" Ean called, and he heard rapid footsteps. The door opened, and he saw Geralan in a very messy outfit, with untidy hair.
"Yes, what-" He stopped, staring at Simini. She looked back at him, tears welling in her eyes. Then, with a sudden movement, both of them dashed forward and embraced the other. Geralan seemed to be in shock as Simini sobbed into his arms.
"I'm sorry…" she whispered, and Geralan pulled back, looking into her eyes.
"There is nothing to be sorry for, my love. Nothing at all." Gavin shifted uncomfortably at the sight of the two very obvious lovers. After a few minutes, they pulled away from each other. Simini turned to the party.
"Please, come inside. Geralan should know what has happened." They followed the couple inside, where Simini lit some lamps as they sat on the various chairs in the living room. When they all had a cup of tea in their hands, brewed by Geralan, he sat down on his own chair and spoke.
"Tell us what has happened." Ean relayed the tale of their negotiations with the sultan, and their journey to find the egg in the mountains. By the end of it, the couple was astonished.
"You really did all that?" Geralan said, astonished. "Who are you?"
"We're the people that are going to take down the Snow Queen." Rye said quietly, and Simini smiled.
"After all this, we certainly believe you! But there is another question…" Geralan looked at her, and her smile faded. "Should we leave Seri?" Her husband opened his mouth, but she kept speaking. "If the sultan remembers me, he might do the same thing again. He might kill Geralan this time, too."
"This is my home." Geralan said with a sad expression. "But I agree with my wife. We should probably leave. But where could we go?"
"Grimm's Farm." Jack piped up, causing the others to look at him. "Couldn't they go there?" Ean's eyebrows furrowed.
"I suppose they could… Do you have any experience raising animals or farming?" He asked the couple, who shook their heads.
"I've always wanted to see a farm." Simini said with a sigh. "I'd be happy to learn how to tend to one!"
"I've had livestock before." Geralan said. "I could help out with that."
"Okay, great!" Ean said. "I'm sure Ivy could use all the help she could get." He told them about the farm, as well as giving them directions to the Magic Express that would take them to the farm. As they listened, both Simini and Geralan seemed excited.
"We'll stop by occasionally, but you'll be running the farm otherwise." Ean said. "We've got two experienced people there, so they'll be glad to teach you." He handed them a letter, which he had written. "Give this to Ivy, and she'll set you up. The only problem is…"
"What is it?" Geralan asked.
"You may need to build your own house. The farmhouse is not very big." Ean said regretfully, and Simini waved a hand.
"Geralan built this house. He can handle that with some help." The man nodded, and Ean stood up.
"We had better get going then." He shook hands with the couple, and Simini hugged him.
"Thank you for everything, all of you." She said. "Will we see you again?"
"I think so." Ean said with a smile. "You had best depart by night, to be safe." Geralan nodded.
"I simply can't thank you enough, friends. You've given me back my life, and I promise that wherever I go, I will be there to help you if our paths cross. Farewell." The party said goodbye and departed the house. The sun was high in the sky, and they could feel the sun bearing down upon them.
"I could go for something cold." Rye sighed, and Gavin grinned at him.
"I saw a place in the market, if you're game."
"I'll join as well." Iya said, and Ean nodded with a smile.
"Me too!" Jack said, and they all laughed before setting off down the road.
That night, Jack handed the necklace to the Ean in front of the others, sitting downstairs in the inn. He confessed what he had done, and related part of his conversation with Iya.
"I'm sorry for betraying your trust, all of you. I understand if you wish to let me go, but I would like to stay and continue the quest, if you'll let me." The words were hard to speak, but he forced them out. There was silence for a moment as Ean looked at the necklace, then back at Jack, who stared at the floor.
"Of course, you may stay." He said with a small smile. "You really think I would send you away, Jack?" Jack looked up at him, hope shining in his eyes. "Yes, you did steal, but it was done out of a desire to do good. Let that be a foundation for doing good for others in the world as well, rather than taking from them."
"I… I will try." Jack vowed, and Ean slipped the necklace around his neck.
"Then we will speak no more of it. Thank you."
Later that evening, Ean and Iya were sitting on a bulwark overlooking the ocean. Both of them had needed a bit of a break from the business of the past weeks, which had led to them climbing one of the city walls to get a view of the sea.
"Hard to believe we'll be crossing that." Iya said quietly, sitting a foot away from Ean. He glanced at her, but she was staring out across the ocean.
"I know. Ava said that it has no end, apparently."
"I don't believe that." She said. "Everything must end eventually. But what's on the other side? Aveyond?" Ean had never heard that term.
"What's that?" Iya flushed slightly.
"In my book of the nymphs, there was a bit of history about the Land of Man. Apparently there's a place called Aveyond, where the Goddess resides with the worthy heroes of times past. There's no known way to get there, but it's supposed to be the most beautiful place ever created. I thought that maybe, if we sailed far enough, we could find it across the ocean."
"You mean the heroes that died?" Iya frowned.
"Funnily enough, I don't think so. The story seems to think that the heroes still live, just in a different world."
"Wish they could come help us out." Ean said wryly, and Iya nodded. He sensed that she was uncomfortable, and he turned to her. "What's wrong?"
"I…" The elven woman folded her hands together. "I cannot help but feel unimportant."
"What do you mean?" Ean asked gently, turning to face her directly.
"It would be better if you were the song mage." She murmured. "The world would be in better hands. Everybody treats me as some sort of prophecy child, but I'm not…" She trailed off, unsure as to how to proceed. "I just feel like I'm not measuring up." Ean touched her wrist lightly.
"You do not have to measure up to anybody, Iya." She looked up, moonlight reflected in her eyes. It was enough to make him feel a tug in his gut. "When I look at you, I don't see any sort of prophecy or destiny. I see my childhood friend, who has grown into a wise and talented elf." She shook her head slightly.
"You overestimate me."
"I do not." Ean said with a slight smile. "You are amazing to me not because of your powers, but because of you and who you are." Her breath seemed to catch, and her palm began to glow slightly. Green light emanated from her fingers, illuminating both of their faces, but Ean did not flinch. "This power was always a part of you. Like any other part of us, we have to learn to accept it." The light brightened slightly, and he squeezed her hand comfortingly. "I will always accept you for who you are, not who you are supposed to be." The magic faded, and he let go of her hand.
"I…" She whispered. "Thank you."
"Of course. Do you think I don't have these same doubts?" Ean said, and she looked at him.
"It doesn't seem like it." She said quietly, and he smiled.
"I try to hide it, so that I can be strong. Only you know how I really feel, so please don't reveal that to the others." He said, and Iya finally smiled in return.
"I won't."
"Thank you." Ean said. They turned their attention back to the sea, watching the water sparkle under the light of the moon.
"Almost time to set sail." Iya said.