Quests Volume Two Read online

  "What tricks can you do with water?" he asked Hinrik. "Besides the happy dance of raindrops and changing gut-rotting drinks into water, I mean."

  He had seen the way the rain moved around the new champion in the ring, not all natural, and they'd just told him of how Hinrik had turned the house special of a nearby tavern into water after hearing it might contain dog hair.

  All four sat on the grass by the wagon under the stars. Keneith had put a small ball of fire into a bowl and its light flickered on their faces.

  Hinrik pondered. "I was thinking of doing ice objects by freezing water and shaping it, but I've never tried it, so maybe I should practice a little, first. What tricks will you do, Raykim?"

  Raykim patted his lips with his index finger as he thought. He had no idea of what was expected of him. He couldn't even imagine how Hinrik could do what he said he'd do!

  "I don't know, what would amuse and not scare the Humans?" he asked at last.

  "You can play with fire and air," Keneith said. "Except air, much like ether, is invisible. I will let you be the king of fire if you want."

  "So what will you do?" Bellinda asked.

  "Like I said, I'm not too keen on showing off my skills," Keneith answered. "People tend to dislike me, when they see what I can do. Wannabe magic users want to destroy me and normal people fear me."

  "What can you actually do?" Hinrik asked.

  Raykim stared curiously at his elder cousin. He sensed the kinship, but Keneith was still a mystery to him. And he didn't allow Raykim to touch him like Hinrik did, therefore he wasn't sure either of what Keneith could do. It was a relief to hear that even Human-looking Keneith had trouble with Humans.

  He had learned Keneith was fifty-five, even though he looked in his thirties, Bellinda was in her mid-thirties and Hinrik in his mid-twenties. But being such a small group, there was no real leader, even though Hinrik – and Raykim himself – tended to follow the orders of the other two who were more experienced.

  "Things that most people study for years come naturally to me," Keneith said. "The teachers in those schools can probably do only half the things I can do. You've noticed I don't recite spells – because I don't need to. I have an energy in me and I use it, much like you're going to do with your natural gift for manipulating water."

  He was staring at Hinrik, but Raykim's ears perked up anyway. Another way of using magic might be about to be revealed! Maybe Keneith could teach him how to do the balls of fire or other neat tricks!

  "But let me warn you that this won't make you more loved," Keneith continued. "Envy is the Humans' greatest sin. Envy and jealousy, because you're handsome, young and can effortlessly do what those people study for years to barely master. If you think creating cute little ice objects will endear you to the world, you're sorely mistaken."

  Raykim frowned, feeling sorry for his new friend who was obviously bummed by the explanation. "Is there no way to earn Humans' love or respect?"

  "If there is, I haven't found it yet," Keneith answered with a shrug.

  "I think Ken is a little cynical," Bellinda said, thoughtful.

  Keneith scoffed. "Bel, you didn't have it as hard as we did," he said sourly. "Your parents stayed together. They were respected both in the Genn and in the Human community. And your healing power is not threatening. But us? I can burn things and people. Hinrik could drown them or freeze them. And Raykim isn't Human at all. We're freaks and condemned to be feared and avoided at all costs."

  Raykim felt Hinrik's sadness and felt sad too.

  "So we'll never find our place in the world?" Hinrik asked with a shaky voice.

  "It depends on what you want, Hinrik," Keneith answered. "Do you really want to be part of the Human society? Personally, I couldn't care less. That's why I'm always on the move and don't stay more than ten years in the same place. Usually a lot less, actually, but when I met the Genn, I spent a lot of time with them."

  "I hear they hide in underground cities in the Central Massif and under Mount Flora," Raykim said. Mention of the other Magical Races always got his attention. He hadn't thought about trying to get in touch with the Waiora. Or the Genn. He didn't know enough about them to try the adventure.

  "Or in the forest of Appleyard, where their kingdom used to be," Bellinda added. "Have you tried them or did you just stay around here?"

  "I admit I was a little fearful at the thought of traveling on my own. I tried to follow Sila, but they always chased me away. So I stayed here, mostly. I'm very grateful that you allowed me to go with you."

  Raykim grinned at all three.

  "You're welcome, little cousin." Keneith ruffled his blue hair and smiled.

  "We could be a small family," Hinrik said. "Not blood family, but because we choose to live together, wherever that be."

  "Would that make me the mom?" Bellinda asked with an impish smile.

  "How about all siblings?" he replied.

  "Well, I always wished I had an older brother who could introduce me to his friends so I could have a boyfriend, but Ken doesn't have any friends, so that's a failure," she said. "As for younger siblings... I have two, and it's enough."

  "Yes, who needs a family when one has friends and traveling companions?" Keneith added. "I'm surprised you're not sick of our company yet, since you're a single parent's only child."

  "You're actually very nice company," Hinrik replied, smiling fondly at him. "Dad," he added teasingly.

  Keneith glared at him, and then he smiled. "Don't try my patience, Son..."

  Bellinda chuckled. "You're both cute when you play like that!"

  "I have siblings, but they ignore me," Raykim said, pouting a little at the thought. "You three are the first people to actually talk to me."

  His mother had had other offspring, of course. Pure-blooded, with big, feathered wings and human bodies. Some had brown skin, others were as light-skinned as the three half-bloods now playing family with him.

  "Welcome to the family," Hinrik said. "Can we figure out a way of putting up a show that is non-threatening for our audience? I'd say to leave the local schools of magic alone..."

  "Why do we need to put up a show?" Raykim asked. "Can't we just keep going?"

  "You've obviously never dealt with so-called civilization, little cousin," Keneith said. "In towns like this one, you need to pay for a lot of things. Therefore you need money. I'm guessing you lived off the land until now and didn't have to deal with merchants or innkeepers."

  "Oh. No." Raykim's shoulders slumped. He was getting tired of his mood going up and down – good news, no, bad news, no, wait, more good news, but, but, but. "So how does one get the money?"

  "By working or by entertaining people, like Hinrik suggested. Or by winning in gladiator rings after a rainy day." Keneith smiled fondly at Hinrik who smiled back but shook his head.

  "I don't want to fight anymore," he said. "That much is sure. So I need to find an alternative to earn a living."

  "Barter?" Raykim suggested, puzzled.

  "Doesn't work everywhere," Keneith replied. "We should get you some clothes, you'd look less... wild in shirt and breeches."

  "I had clothes on my back when I left the Nest," Raykim said with a shrug. "But I outgrew them. I stole a towel to make my loincloth for practical reasons."

  "Yes, you don't want to fly around with the family jewels out." Bellinda chuckled.

  "Exactly. I guess I need to find a way to get new ones... you're telling me I need money, how can I get some?"

  "I guess you could scare travelers into giving you their money, but that would make you a bandit and an outlaw." Keneith chuckled.

  "He already stole a towel to cover himself," Bellinda replied. "Maybe one of you could lend him your spare breeches!"

  "You can give him yours, since you now travel on a wagon," Keneith retorted. "He's so skinny that yours would fit perfectly!"

  "I have spare breeches," Hinrik said. And then he turned to Raykim. "Aren't you cold, especially during winter?"

&n
bsp; "No, the air around me is always warm," Raykim answered. He didn't really need clothes, but since everybody covered their body, he might as well do it.

  "The Sila cover their bodies out of modesty, not necessity," Bellinda commented.

  "In fact the Waiora show much more skin!" Keneith added, amused. "Anyway, I'll buy my little cousin new clothes in Kelvia, where I know a dressmaker who won't fuss about his appearance."

  "Oh, thank you, Keneith!" Raykim beamed. "Who is it?"

  "My stepmother. She knows who my real mother is, even though she never saw Bluestar in her true form."

  "But she knew her in Human form?" Hinrik asked, curious.

  Keneith nodded. "Like Lenore and your mother. Bluestar called herself Cynnamon the Ginger-headed Poet, like a previous generation Fajrulo called Starblazer who died before she was born. But she had heard so much about the female who had passed herself off as a goddess to Humans that she used some of Starblazer's Human names for herself."

  "So she looked like a redhead?" Bellinda asked. "And she wrote poetry?"

  "Yes. And Lura made her clothes and she secretly loved Darhon, my father, who was totally smitten by the Ginger-headed Poet... and you can guess where this is headed. When Cynnamon vanished, Lura offered herself to fill the empty spot in the house. She's a very sweet woman, but soon I was old enough to leave my father's house and try to find my Fajrulo mother."

  It was comforting knowing that even Keneith's Fajrulo parent had abandoned him very early.

  "This first Starblazer must have impressed a lot of females," he mused. "Skywise called her daughter Starblazer and went to Maadre to be a Goddess... Are Humans still so credulous that a Fajrulo can be seen as a god by them?"

  "Let's say that if a man suddenly turns into a dragon, they're going to be impressed," Keneith answered. "Who wouldn't? Do you remember your Fajrulo parent in his true form?"

  "No," Raykim admitted. "I grew up with my mother. Until she couldn't stand my looks anymore and the Sila sent me away from the Nest."

  "I haven't asked your half-sister Starblazer to show me her true form, but I'm sure it's impressive," Keneith continued. "She earns her living among Humans playing the witch."

  Raykim didn't know where his half-sister Starblazer lived. Apparently, since she could take Human form, she had a house somewhere in the coastal towns. Keneith had met her on the way to the town with the gladiator ring – Flean, they'd told him it was called.

  "We'll see," Raykim replied with a smile. "I look forward to seeing more of the world!"

  ***

  The sun was up and they were ready to leave Aludin when a group of people surrounded them. Keneith snorted, recognizing the kind of uniforms typical of schools of magic.

  The night before a paladin, scared by Hinrik's natural skills of turning a disgusting beverage into water, had told them about the three schools in town, supposedly based on water, fire and ether magic. Obviously the paladin had thought the half-blood magic was demonic in nature, since Hinrik had made no display of reciting spells or other useless Human formulas.

  Now the three deans with their acolytes had found them, just in time to give Keneith another painful flashback of his life at a similar school some forty years earlier. Except he wasn't a scared teenager anymore, but a full-fledged magic user with more power than the three illusionists put together.

  Humans couldn't do magic. Half-bloods could.

  The Magical Races used some sort of white magic – they could invoke unicorns effortlessly and in a natural way. Each race tended to use its main elemental power, but could ask help of the others.

  Humans were either shamans – using drugs, poisons, trances and apparent deaths – or wizards – such as illusionists, alchemists, they could make potions and invisibility rings or coats. And then there were very few sorcerers with real dark powers, usually half-Fajrulo like Keneith or other mixed blood.

  Raykim was already inside the wagon and Keneith considered calling him to teach him his first lesson about those pompous Human wizards who thought they knew it all.

  Nah, I can deal with them on my own.

  He scoffed and confronted them with his arms crossed over his chest. "Yes, gentlemen?"

  "Are you the magic users who scared Emewor at the Hungry Snake last night?" asked the oldest of the lot, who had the classical wizard look that had always gotten on his nerves. Those people were all about form, not substance. They looked the part, but could rarely play the part.

  "If he's a paladin who lingered at the tavern last night, yes, that's us," he answered.

  "So you say you can do magic?" Another elder pointed a gnarled finger at them.

  He wore a turban over a probably bald head and had runes drawn all over his clothes. Meaningless runes. Only the runes in Old Tongue actually worked, and Humans usually didn't speak the Old Tongue.

  "Can you?" Keneith smirked.

  "Keneith, we decided we don't want a confrontation," Hinrik said. "It would scare the horses. Let's just get away from here."

  Bellinda climbed onto the wagon and took the reins. Keneith shrugged and joined her. But the group of wizards actually closed in on them.

  "You're not going anywhere," the third dean threatened. "Or I will throw a ball of fire at you."

  "Please, do," Keneith said with a mock bow. "And be ready to get it back as fast as you throw it."

  Hinrik held his horse still, but stared wide-eyed at Keneith who had raised his protective magic shield as soon as the visitors had appeared. Not that he really needed it, but you never knew. Sometimes bees stung.

  The mage made a show of reciting an incomprehensible spell and a small ball of fire slowly formed in his hand. He threw it, but it bounced back off Keneith's shield, forcing them to jump backward to avoid being hit.

  The turbaned one screamed a curse, which only made the shield visible for a moment, a glittering bubble that encompassed the wagon, the draft horse and Hinrik and his mount.

  "Are you sure we don't want a confrontation?" Keneith asked Bellinda.

  I'd love to give them a hard lesson. Let me be the merciless Fajrulo for once.

  "No, Ken, nobody will get hurt. Now let's go." She shook the reins and the horse started pulling the wagon.

  "Can I come out?" Raykim called from inside. "I'd really like to see what's going on!"

  "Not much, little cousin," Keneith replied. "A bunch of Human wannabe magic users."

  "I want to see them!"

  "Suit yourself!"

  "Ken," Bellinda chided. "Raykim, no confrontation!" she said out loud, leaning towards the back of the wagon.

  Keneith almost rubbed his hands in anticipation. Raykim's looks would be enough for that stupid lot.

  "Hello there," Raykim said. "So you can do magic? Show me! I'm curious about Human magic!"

  The students ran away screaming first. The three deans soon followed suit with slightly more dignity.

  "Did I scare them off?" Raykim asked with an innocent smile, flapping his wings.

  "Get back in the wagon, we're out of here," Bellinda said, trying not to laugh out loud.

  Raykim chuckled but obeyed. Hinrik was grinning. Keneith looked at her and shook his head.

  "Healers," he muttered, trying not to smile.

  She passed him the reins. "Shut up and drive, you bloody half-Fajrulo!"

  CHAPTER THREE

  Raykim was glad they stayed away from populated places. The meeting in Aludin had confirmed for him that Humans would never really like him. But as they headed south along the coast, they stayed away from small villages and lone farms, camping in the open and allowing him to travel on the roof of the wagon without hiding.

  Keneith was still quite grumpy, but Bellinda and Hinrik were very nice. Bellinda and Hinrik offered him their spare clothes, but she had wider hips than Hinrik, thus Raykim ended up using Hinrik's breeches, with a belt to keep them up.

  There was no way he could wear tunics made for Humans, though, so he remained bare-chested, his tanned skin d
arker than the other three. He sometimes sighted Sila flying over and wished he could call them down and ask them for one of their shirts, but he knew better by now. He didn't even mention he saw them to his travel companions.

  He saw Maxwetria long before them, as well. His keen eyesight meant he saw the walls of the bustling metropolis when they were still quite far away, but he didn't say anything. He'd have to hide in the wagon for a couple of days, before they went through that huge city.

  He had seen it only from the mountains, a vast expanse of houses at the mouth of a river, and unfortunately wouldn't be able to see it from closer, unless he got out at night. But then the acrid smells of the city itself reached him through the wood of the wagon, and he decided he wasn't missing much.

  That place stank of death and decay. And it made them all sick, especially Bellinda and poor Hinrik, who even cleansed the water of the river. Raykim was surprised by the toll water manipulation took on his friend. For him it wasn't such a big deal.

  Keneith explained to him that both Bellinda and Hinrik were weaker compared to the two of them.

  "We are half-Fajrulo. Fajrulo are the most powerful members of the Magical Races."

  "Oh! So it's not that effortless for them to use Water or Ether's energy?"

  "Bellinda gets awful headaches when she does deep healing. And you saw how exhausted Hinrik was after cleaning the river."

  Raykim bobbed his head, thoughtful. Both Bellinda and Hinrik were still asleep after the night in Maxwetria, during which even he had preferred sleeping in the cramped space of the wagon than outside in the stench of decay.

  "What is that called?" Raykim pointed at the things Keneith had bought from a shop down the street, while he had stayed hidden behind the wagon.

  "It's bread, want to taste it?" Keneith offered him one of the funny shaped brown balls.

  Raykim took it, turned it around in his hands, then the smell made him take a big bite. It was still warm and it melted on his tongue. It wasn't the same taste as meat, but it was great!

  "And what are those?" he asked between bites. In two more, the delicious thing was gone.