Kenta struggled to find a relaxing moment during the chilling night for sleep. With every crashing wave or howling wind, he worried that someone might notice their hideout. Even though he built a makeshift tent out of the flowers and trees nearby, he still worried that someone might see through the natural barrier, ultimately exposing their true nature to this cruel world.
Magicians.
It was well into the day, though the trio had already begun their journey quite early. They hadn't found any signs of human life yet along the coast, save for some abandoned and broken down buildings, but he knew it wouldn't be long until they stumbled upon a bustling and active city - one with real humans and a real society and true doubt. Having already been in a country that despised magic once before, he had no intention of staying long.
As the three of them walked forward, Kenta kept a cautious eye for anything out of the ordinary. The only problem was everything seemed out of the ordinary to him in this world.
"Daddy, look!" Miles away from where they had started, Wynne outpaced her dear father and aunt tenfold, completely drawn into the wonders of the land. Everything was magnificent to her. From the endless ocean to the curvy pathways to the frightening cliffside - for a girl her age living in the quaint countryside, Wales had created a wondrous adventure. "The water just keeps going and going!"
"I know sweetheart," Kenta said, "Let's not walk too close to the edge, though. They have these barriers for a reason… I think." He touched the icy, smooth grey material that extended along the edge of the cliff, farther than he could see. Strange how unlike the stones that lined the streets in Ingary or the bricks that enclosed their homes. It was stronger, surprisingly, and utterly foreign to him.
Yet it kept his daughter from falling over the edge, so he wasn't too concerned.
"Let her have a little fun," Gwenda said in a calming voice, "Wynne's a smart kid. She can take care of herself."
Kenta grumbled and shook his head. "Thanks, but I don't think I'll take parenting advice from someone who has no idea what it's like to be one."
Gwenda rolled her eyes. No matter how she tried to make him feel better or even just spark a casual conversation, it always went awry with him. She wondered how Lona put up with his short temper - or if he just presented this side around herself. "What, so I don't know how to take care of your kids?"
Kenta rubbed the long hairs on his chin, recalling a not so far-off memory. "Last fall, you let Ryo and Griff climb onto the roof and nose dive into the pile of leaves they raked."
She chuckled at the recollection. Griff walked away with barely a scratch while Ryo's arm was not so lucky. She remembered the days when she and Lona experimented with such foolhardy behavior, and knew her two sons deserved to partake in a similar kind of rambunctious jest. "Oh c'mon. That was pretty fun until Ryo's arm."
Kenta scrunched his nose like a rabbit. "He was in a cast for a month."
"Okay, so I let them do one reckless thing. Just because I don't plan on being a parent doesn't mean I don't know how to take care of children."
"And was that a conversation you had with Calcifer, or just another moment you tuned him out?" Gwenda turned to him, but he kept his gaze forward on Wynne's optimistic ventures. Though he couldn't walk faster than her, his avoidance of Gwenda was quite obvious.
In the back of her mind, she knew it was best not to pry. He had his reasons, despite how she may disagree or refute them, and their personalities combined usually spelled disaster. Even still, she remembered that it wasn't always this way. There were days when they worked well together, like true comrades, and she wondered how those days had become a faint memory like Ryo's broken arm.
The fact that he wasn't expecting a response from her meant he had decided the conversation was over, yet Gwenda was not so willing. "What happened to us?"
Kenta scrunched his eyebrows. "What do you mean what happened to us? Do you really need me to explain how we got here again?"
"No," she said, "I mean you and me. Ever since we teamed up to find my sister, we were actually getting along pretty well. Now it's like you can't even stand being in the same room as me."
Kenta hardly paid her any mind. "That was a long time ago. We both had a common goal and now Lona is safe."
"So, what?" Gwenda huffed with an irritated breath. "We just stopped being friends after that? Stopped being a family?"
"Life happens. Things change."
She rolled her eyes. "You mean getting stuck in what you call my stupid ideas."
"I'm just trying to get home." His voice was firm and cold, as if having to explain himself was such an inconvenience. "If possible, I would like to get out of this godforsaken world soon. Finding a magician who most likely doesn't exist in Wales is the only chance I have." His temper had a certain familiarity, one that easily clashed with her own.
"The only chance we have." Gwenda corrected him. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, but she was already several paces ahead of him. "You're not the only one trying to get back home to someone you love."
✧ ･ : * ✧ ･ : *
Time moved like a snail as they walked.
And walked.
And walked.
The day felt endless as the sun stretched higher and higher into the sky. Their only solace was that they didn't need to worry yet about where they would spend the night this time around - in another makeshift natural tent or a real bed. That last thought was a pipedream, Kenta thought, as the chances of such a prize were limited.
Yet as the day drew to a close and the sun neared its escape behind the ocean, their worry for shelter started to become a reality.
Gwenda and Kenta felt the exhaustion hit them much more than Wynne. Her jaunty aura was untainted by even the slightest hindrance. She was enthralled by the beauty of the ocean, and even more intrigued when she witnessed the dancing lights surrounding small boats as they bobbed atop the black waves. The sight of these docking ports and small buildings stacked next to each other could only mean one thing - their first sign of society.
"Daddy, look!" As Wynne felt the urge to rush forward and explore yet another new place, Kenta waved his fingers in a swift motion. He manipulated the breeze and forcibly flung his daughter back toward him. Their trio stayed hidden in the dusk behind a heavy thicket of coniferous trees, a wave of caution ingrained in their instincts.
He pressed firm hands on her shoulders. "You must listen to me carefully, Wynne. We have to be careful and figure out a plan before we just walk into this unknown town. We cannot assume this is a safe place for us."
The little witch girl tilted her head to the side. "But the lights look so pretty. It's like they're putting on a show for the whole town!"
"It might be a nice show for them, but we still cannot assume this town will welcome us."
"Why not?"
"Well, for one people don't like magicians in this land."
"Why not?"
Kenta groaned. This was not unlike her to ask such pressing questions, and her curiosity only sharpened the older she got. "They just don't understand who we are, and we can't expect them to. We must keep our magic a secret. No spells or charms, no potion-making or even speaking about magic. Only use magic if it is absolutely necessary. Do you understand?"
She stared at him like he was speaking a foreign language. Once again, her premature age shone through her young ignorance of the world and its dangers. Unfortunately, he expected that she would soon experience the hatred of people so early in life - and he knew there would come a time when he wasn't able to protect her.
Yet it was imperative that she recognize it. "Do you understand me?"
Wynne nodded quickly at his harsh tone. "Yes, daddy."
"So, what's your bright idea?" Gwenda asked with crossed arms. "Find a magician without using magic?"
"We first need to understand the people of this town," Kenta said as he lowered a branch to get a better look beyond the vibrant lights and volumizing music. "Wynne was right; I think there's some kind of festival or gathering going on. I say we try blending in and ask around for-" Before he could continue, Wynne covered her stomach with both arms as a deep roar rumbled from inside her.
Gwenda's stomach followed soon after, and she mimicked the little girl. "We need to eat."
Kenta closed his eyes and sighed. He figured that problem would appear sooner rather than later. It was a miracle they made it mostly to the end of the day without needing anything more than the minuscule berries they plucked that morning. If they were to live in this land for a while, they needed more than just light snacks to build their strength.
He grazed his fingers along the rigid tree trunk, feeling the bark for any soft areas that were close to breaking. Sap dripped along the side, but he avoided those husks as best as he could. For this basic spell, dry wood was vital. He pulled off as many of the flimsy, jagged pieces as would naturally fall and placed them into his coat pocket.
Both Gwenda and Wynne stared at him in confusion, but he motioned for them to follow him.
And into the new town they went.
Their reemergence into society was a culture shock from the hours they spent in the isolated outskirts of Wales. Bright lights in lamp posts lined the streets in a string of sparkling luster, and many more candles flared atop the wooden tables amidst the populous crowd. People either walked the streets or sat at these tables that stood cemented in the middle of the roadways. Many also stood in makeshift lines exchanging small coins or rectangular paper slips for steaming plates of various delicacies. Music from string instruments resonated throughout the air, traveling like the wind and filling the town with a sense of jubilance and celebration.
This town in particular reminded them very much of the lively Porthaven. The quaint town filled with jovial residents, the brick buildings bathing in the setting sun on the oceanfront, and the smell of tidal waves and cleansed fish burned photographic images in her mind and matched the city she truly loved. For Gwenda, it was like strolling down the same walkways where she grew up and currently lived - only this place wasn't haunted with a familial shame.
Large vinyl signs hung between these lamp posts with the words "Fishguard Gŵyl Fair y Canhwyllau - Welcome to Mary's Festival of the Candles in Fishguard!" That explained the multitude of candles and lights glistening from every inch of the festival area. Kenta relaxed at the shining, yellow flickers, taking in their simplistic beauty, until one of them turned a vibrant green color.
He halted his steps in the middle of the crowd and narrowed his eyes toward the curious light. Like glowing slime, this candle altered its color and oozed a quiet flame next to its compatriots. It was a stunning allure, like a charm that spelled him to draw nearer. He grew curiouser and curiouser at this alteration, and naturally stepped forward.
"Kenta." Like breaking from a hypnosis, he looked over to Gwenda pressing a firm hand against his shoulder. Wynne stood behind her, clutching her jacket, her dark hair waving in the cool wintry breeze. "Where are you going? I think the food stands are this way."
"I was just-" When he pointed at the peculiar candle, he widened his eyes as the color shifted back to normal.
The green flame had vanished.
He shook his head. He must have been seeing things. He barely got any sleep the night before. It must have been a walking dream.
Yet why did it feel so familiar?
They walked along the sidewalk in an attempt to blend in with the festivities. Most paid them no mind, but Kenta's anxiety was heightened just being in such an alien land. While his young daughter soaked in all that she saw as glorious, he stared with a cautious glare at all the dangers she couldn't see. As much as he could keep calm on the outside and fake the guise of a visiting (human) stranger, he couldn't suppress the fear that pulsated throughout his entire being. That fear was a persistent heartbeat of agitating alarms and unexpected surprises.
It was like wondering when his heart would stop - not sure of the time or place, but knowing of its inevitable affair.
He read each of the signs above the food stands that seemed to have lines with no beginning or end. Gwenda and Wynne groaned again, even though the music and the laughter muted their stomachs' cries. Sweet aromas of lemon and parsley filled the air, and their hunger only intensified. They stood behind what seemed like the shortest line and waited.
Kenta fumbled his fingers around the broken bark in his pocket as they slowly moved forward to the food stand. Soft whispers of an unknown spell, carefully spoken amidst the bustling and boisterous crowd, fell mute to the common ear, but not to those familiar with magic. Kenta eyed a woman who stood directly in front of them, taking a close account of her golden coins with obscure, intrinsic details in the center. At first they were unclear to the wizard, yet upon further examination he read the words One Pound around the circular edge underneath a clawed dragon.
He fumbled in his pocket once more. Customers had ordered and seated themselves wherever they could find an open table until Kenta, Gwenda, and Wynne were the closest to the stand. When it came their time to order, he was ready.
Kenta pulled out several shiny coins that had not existed in his pocket before. What had been sticky, rigged pieces of tree bark had now turned into the guise of money from this world. Gwenda and Wynne tried not to express their awe, so as not to alert the man who took the fake money and placed it in a metal drawer with no suspicion, yet they were quite impressed with the wizard's sly technique.
"Oh, thank heavens," Gwenda said with a relieved sigh, "I'm starving." They were quick to devour their meal, somehow snatching a free table the moment it emptied. She could hardly focus her mind as they walked through town, but now that the steaming and beer battered fish were on their plates, she felt completely rejuvenated. The fish practically melted off her fork as she kept stabbing the pieces, hoping to stuff as much into her mouth as possible.
The tiny fires that surrounded the festival glowed a faint orange, and the melting wax made Gwenda sigh. These muted fires were a daunting reminder of Calcifer and how they had left things between them. It had been over a day since she had last seen him and it was already killing her. As angry as she was, part of her wished she had just stayed and fixed things with him instead of running off. When she walked out of their apartment door, she half hoped he would follow her with the promise to make amends right then and there.
Maybe she wouldn't have been so careless with a wish.
She held a large, crispy fry between her fingers, but dropped it onto her plate. Suddenly, she wasn't so hungry anymore.
Kenta, on the other hand, hardly touched his food from the start. He merely kept a watchful gaze around the seated area and observed the passing crowd. How lucky they were not to be the eye of suspicion, yet to him everyone surrounding them was a suspect of evil intent. While his heart lessened its strain knowing his family was well-fed, his mind refused to rest a moment.
Not with the strange green flame appearing once more.
He stood up abruptly, almost pushing the food onto Gwenda's lap. She clutched the edge of the plastic plate with both hands, her eyebrows crinkled at Kenta's hasty movement.
"What is it now, Kenta?" She tried seeing through the fright in his visage, tried deciphering the uneasiness in his quivering fingers, yet he was a picture of stark confusion and disarray. He darted his gaze all around, like a hawk watching for its prey.
No, he was more like the mouse running for cover from the hawk.
"What are you doing?" Kenta ignored Gwenda as he stood and walked toward the glowing fire. It wasn't a mistake; it wasn't a dream. Somehow, in some way these candles were transforming and shifting their shades. Candles didn't normally do that. It was a particular technique his grandmother once taught him years ago, a spell that manipulated the element of fire.
His terror and relief collided as one from this untimely, unexpected realization - only magic could create such a guise.
Kenta thought his eyes were so exhausted that he was conjuring up fantasies when the candles were changing colors. Yet he was so focused on this that he failed to realize how far he had been walking away from the table.
From his family.
"Hey!" Once again, Gwenda had torn him from the trance. She grabbed his shoulder once more and he blinked. The fire had reverted back to normal, or it had been that way since the beginning. Was he truly seeing things, or had magic somehow existed in that changing candle? Whatever the case, he had strayed too far from where he was needed.
Who he was needed by.
"What has gotten into you?" Gwenda shouted over the exotic decor and blind merriment. Despite her words, his eyes were now focused on another fantasy that stopped her heart. No - this was more like a nightmare. A horrible and twisted chaotic sense of a dream that he worked so hard to prevent. His heartbeat punched his ribs with a force of true panic.
Kenta pushed passed her and ran toward their empty table. Half-eaten fish and bulky chips lay cold and hardened on their plastic plates as he scanned the bustling crowds of people. She was sitting there; she was right next to them and now she was a figure in the vast horde of Welsh commoners.
And quite possibly an anonymous magician lurking in their midst.
"Where is she?" Kenta's voice shivered in the chilled night, yet Gwenda had no answer. "Where's Wynne?"