The Road Ahead

The rough dirt road eventually gave way to the countryside and as I looked out upon the fields I could spot a few cottages every now and then some distance from the road next to their farms. I liked how they broke up the landscape and made me feel less alone. Eventually the trees I saw became more and more frequent and the hills of grass were soon replaced by a sea of trees, and the sun started to set. I had never really camped before but I knew fire was essential, so I gathered a bundle of sticks before digging a hole small pit in the ground for my fire. After it had been built I put my palm at its base and imagined my mana flowing like a small stream Thinking of fire And its warmth. As it got dark I laid among the grass next to my campfire using my leather armor to rest my head. I lay there thinking about where Monty might be, what he might be doing, what he had left to go figure out for himself.

*snap*.... I awoke my eyes open in an instant but the sheer darkness paralyzed me. Though afraid, all I could do was listen. I heard sniffing and breathing. I heard it rummaging next to me where I put my pack. I suddenly realized why this animal was here, it was after the dried beef I had In there, But I couldn't let whatever it was take my food. After all, I still had a couple more days before I hit the next town according to one of the guards I asked back in the city. I clutched the Knife at my side hard as if to steel myself for what I was about to do. It happened in a flash almost too fast for even myself to react. I put all my momentum into a singular blow against its hide. It yelped in pain before starting to growl. I needed to see where It is, so I focused on producing fire. That's when I saw it. Bathed in orange light it's crouched figure, glistening fangs and dark soulless eyes. Next thing I knew it was on top of me, my focus faltering as its teeth sank into my forearm. Cast into darkness I shudder As I feel its fangs rip through my skin. My hand goes limp, the dagger falls to the grass. I refuse to die until I see Monty again,I made a promise. Adrenaline pumping through my veins. I slam it into a tree, my arm free from its maw. I try to run from it but fall in the dark. Knowing I have no other choice I turn and hold my working arm out in front of me. I imagine a waterfall and and erupting volcano. In a flash of light my world fades to black.

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On a boat rocked by crashing waves and murky aquamarine water, the deck pelted with the downpour of a passing storm. The crew was manning the sails, the captain trying to keep it from capsizing after getting hit by a rogue wave. Below deck a boy of 15 was thrown from his bunk by the crashing wave. He landed with a thud and groaned "I knew this was a bad idea, but I have to do this If I want to have any chance of finding them". He picked himself up and decided to head to the top deck to await landfall.

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I groggily awoke in an unfamiliar place roused by a stray beam from the morning sun, wanting to sleep just a bit more before I start the day I try to roll over. Pain shoots through the right side of my body which stops me in my tracks. I gasp in pain only to be met with a stronger pain in my side. I examine myself, Bandages cover my hands and up my arms as well as over my torso. Remembering what happened I quickly squeeze both my hands. A dull ache comes from my right arm, my fingers not even able to make a fist, My left still works but I have no feeling coming from it. I run my fingers across my side grimacing in pain, my ribs tender to the touch.

I looked around, seeing that I'm in a house of some sort a new set of clothes laying on a table at the other end of the room. I got dressed careful to not accidentally cause myself any pain , I assumed that whoever took me here treated my injuries as well. I smelt the savory scent of a stew being cooked by a fire and heard birdsong echoing about the trees. I looked out the window to see an older man (probably around his 40's) chopping firewood in the sun. I catch his gaze for a second and he smiles before coming over and opening the door. "Don't get too comfortable now we have a lot of work to do".

I quickly respond "Thank you for saving me how can I repay y-"

he cuts me off "If you truly want to repay me then I'll put you to work. Go chop the rest of the firewood and come see me when you are done."

"What's your name?" I ask.

He says "its not important now get to work."

It takes me quite a while to cut the rest of the wood and stack it up , with my damaged hands. Every swing of the ax is a jolt of pain. For the next week or so the man makes me do various tasks, Including cleaning the floors, cleaning the walls, feeding the chickens and setting the tables for meals. I end up getting quite accustomed to using my damaged arms and my grip begins to heal ever so slightly. He gives me food but doesn't attempt to make conversation for most of the week, answering in grumbles like he's thinking of something. Whenever he changes my bandages I can see my scarred arms, my right forearm still full of large maroon scars in the shape of a set of teeth and my left a massive burn wound full of scabs from blisters. He rubs ointment on my wounds "Under no circumstances are you allowed to perform magic, you have damaged your core, The amount of mana you channeled through it made it weaken and crack. It would do you much good to think before you act." I asked him how long I was asleep for. And he told me I was out for four days and he was beginning to think I wouldn't wake up. I asked him if he saw the animal that attacked me but he said he had only seen bite marks like that from a few magical creatures and particularly large non magical ones.

At the end of that week he asked my name and I told him "my name is Gale."

That's quite a name "call me Allister, I live in these woods. The only reason I was Able to find you was because of the Flash from the explosion. When I got to you you were bloody from head to toe and pale as a ghost. Not to mention all you had on you was the clothes on your back or what was left of them. If you weren't blessed by mana you certainly would have died, honestly i'm surprised you did either way. I tried my best but I am no doctor. Your body did most of that healing on its own."

"I guess I just got lucky."

"More than lucky it's about a miracle that you are alive as you are now. Why are you all the way out here anyway ? the nearest town is a day from here you know.'

"I wanted to become an adventurer and find my friend."

He laughs " an adventurer huh? Well you definitely have the fortitude, not many people would be able to survive what you did. I used to be one myself a long time ago… Tell you what kid I'll teach you everything I know about being an adventurer as long as you promise me not to use magic till your core repairs itself."

"Can you give me a day to think it over?"

"Aye take whatever time you need it's not like you're going anywhere soon in your sorry state." I walk out the door and find a nice spot to lay on the grass. As I sit there I take a moment to thank the sun for my life, remembering the attack I Drift my burnt and bandaged hand across the scars that have already begun to form remembering how scared I was and how quick I could have died. I thought of my friend Monty and silently thanked him for teaching me how to use magic. I hoped that he was alright on his journey and that I may see him again to thank him. Having decided my thoughts on the matters at hand, I head inside And say to Allister "I promise not to use my magic, will you please teach me what you know."

"Alright I will train you so that you might have a chance of becoming an adventurer. You will live with me for 6 months. Meet me by the fireplace tonight when the moon is at its apex."

I do what I am told and when I enter the main room Allister hands me a steaming wooden cup full of tea and motions for me to come sit by the fire. "I assume you come from the kingdom that lies rather close to these woods, kid am I correct."

"I lived in the slums within its walls my entire life."

"I assume you know why those walls exist right?"

"Well Monty told me that they exist to keep us safe."

"Yes, exactly right. The world is dangerous and full of hardship. You learned that the hard way, for a lot of people one of the biggest mistakes they make is thinking otherwise. Your life is gonna be hard, kid but you are lucky."

"How am I lucky?"

"Who taught you magic?"

"My friend, he is a little bit older than me. I learned it before he left sometime almost a year ago , why?

"Magic is quite rare and not many people can even perceive that they have it inside them. Yes magic can be formally taught to people like nobles and elite soldiers so they learn how to use and see it within themselves, But not many people are naturally able to feel it so easily and I dare say your friend is very skilled himself to sense it within you. You have a gift, an advantage that will allow you to have an easier time in this world. Be sure to use it to your advantage. You told me yourself that you wanted to become an adventurer, why? "

"I had made a promise to my friend, a promise to myself."

"I'm surprised that you still hold such a resolve despite looking death in its face only four days ago. Very well I doubt I can dissuade you from becoming an adventurer. It looks like you have already made up your mind anyway. The most I can do is do my best to make sure you don't die. We will start your training in the morning after you get done helping me out around the cabin like you have been doing this past week."

The tasks he asked of me were mostly just cleaning and labor anyway, so I didnt much mind too much as I got free food and a bed to sleep in, although it was more soft than I would've liked it made me uncomfortable to be honest. I was just happy to have somewhere to stay after that beast attacked me. This was the biggest act of kindness anyone has ever shown me. I cried that night appreciative of Allister's hospitality, the salty tears wetting the bindings that hug my wounds.

In the morning after I was done with the chores Allister sat me down at a desk and put down a piece of parchment in front of me, a mass of curvy lines on part of its surface. "Do you know How to read Gale?" he said I told him no and he begun to teach me the alphabet and a

Little song by which to remember it by. He also introduced me to numbers and simple arithmetic such as addition and subtraction before the day came to an end. I personally found spelling to be quite difficult when he later introduced me to simple and more difficult words. The rest of that week was solely dedicated to Allister teaching me more about these topics. He said they were very important to learn about as they are used alot in cities and towns and to manage money.

One of those days I overheard through the thin walls of the cabin Allister crying. He said to himself " he reminds me of my late son and to think that he had to live in the slums till he was twelve not knowing about the world on the outside of the walls."

After a few weeks Allister came up to me one autumn day during my chores. He looked happy as he walked over the leaves crunching under his feet. He had his hands behind his back so I asked "what are you holding?"

Allister said "it's a secret, now close your eyes and put your hands out i'm sure you will like it."

I closed my eyes and put my bandaged hands out. When he put the gift in my hands I felt smooth leather.

"Open your eyes." he said and so I did, and I saw a book bound in leather with a large stamp depicting a man with a staff and a pointy hat underneath a starry night sky. "What is this Allister?"

"It's a book of magic Gale. From what you've told me about how you have used magic I realized that You needed to go back and understand the fundamentals before you use it again. Otherwise you will just end up hurting yourself all over again. We will be starting your combat training today. You can read the magic book at night, but you are not allowed to practice its contents until your core has healed. Starting tonight you can begin to meditate to fill your core but be careful and tell me when the crack in its surface has been mended."