Erlem & daisy

"We are going to have to go to the citadel, these omens wont stop until we find ourselves an Omen reader." Daisy sighed, she knew there was a small chance they would even survive the trip, and there was an even greater chance the citadel was gone. It didn't matter, eventually if the omen wasn't taken care of, it could manifest and tear through Erlems mind leaving him in a state worse than death.

"Its time to leave the gnob?" Erlem couldn't believe they were going to abandon the safe haven they had made for themselves, he couldn't help but feel responsible after all its his omen.

"We'll be back, im going to enchant an item for you and I. If we ever get split up we can use them to teleport right back to the gnob." Erlem felt slightly better, but he really didn't want to leave the gnob, it was the best home he's had, it was small but there wasn't a hundred other people always in your face, no hiding from the older kids, and Daisy truly cared for Erlem like she was his mother. "When do we leave?"

Daisy had learned to read Erlems face and right now it was showing his disappointment in leaving their little home, which seemed odd considering his reputation of being quite the explorer in Autumnveil. " We must have your omens cleansed as soon as we can before it molests your destiny and corrupts the tendrils of fate." Becoming consumed by an omen had not been common in the last century and most of the accounts had been lost to history, all that most mages were certain of was those who's omens were cleansed had the luck of gaining a prophecy to the web of their fate. She knew he was important but the cleansing of this omen would explain just how important.

" it will take a week to prepare for the trip, i'll put a charm on your carry bag so you can take everything you need with you, but only pack the important stuff. Leave your Autumnveil uniform here, we don't know the state of the world right now, they may kill us on sight if they learn we are from Autumnveil." She pulled out a parchment and began listing supplies they would need to find, mostly foods and herbs for medicines. Over the next week the two stuck to their woods and collected various edible mushrooms and nuts and squirrels, at night Erlem would stare out the front windows from his bed watching Daisy cast various enchantments outside the gnob. Purples and greens would illuminate like lightning flashes. Erlem found comfort in the lights, esspecially after ye asked about the spells and Daisy explained her teleport charm was difficult and required layers of enchantments to bind to item meant to teleport the individual to place. She also had to weave spells together to stop someone from trying to follow the teleported to the gnob. Erlem wanted to believe he could contribute to their safety, he was a magical prodigy but this magic was truly even too advanced for him. Daisy was a powerful witch herself, overlooked because she was a woman, young, and was an autumn witch with a passive daemon. She was skilled in intricate enchantments and was excellent at shadow magic, though she struggled with battle magic she was adept everywhere else.

She had decided when she was learning magic at the citadel that being able a master at defense would mean not having to attack. Her proclivity for defensive arts didn't catch any eyes, and seeing as she was lackluster at best at anything not defensive she graduated unnoticed and gained a rather low end position in the Magestrate. Luck had her stumble across Erlem during the siege of Autumnveil and maybe with a little more she could save him from this omen.

Erlem had fallen sleep over one of his lessons and Daisy just watched him, he'd twitch or jerk and she would wonder whether he was being plagued by his omen or just dreaming. After a short time she decided to put him to bed, she scooped him up and placed him into his bed. She loved him, as much as a mother could love her child, she had been with Erlem for six months caring for him. He had become much different than his reputation had depicted him, a mischievous genius with a quick tongue and a fondness for pranks. The joy had been ripped from him in front of his eyes as he watched his friends and family die in front of him most brutally, then a plague of Omens beset his dreams. He was a tormented child at this point, his genius was being stifled by his mental exhaustion. He was still talented, years above the lessons Daisy was able to give he was quicker to learn than any mage she'd ever seen. His power behind those spells were lacking and often half hearted, as of he was going through motions. It was clear to her he needed help in many ways and she had hoped to be able to give him relief at least in his dreams.

Daisy resolved to finish her project before a fortnights end she didn't feel he would last much longer. Erlem was a strong soul, having been able to defeat the Omen each time it would accost him, his soul was indeed strong, often he would be aided by a pair of eagles who would grab Erlem and keep him aloft until he woke up. Other times when the large Willow tree was able to mutate into the monster and Erlem would have to try and run as the creeping vines and branches chased after him ripping at his clothes. In those instances Erlem would find himself being shielded by two seperate shadows. He would wake up with new cuts and bruises, more exhausted than he was when he fell asleep but he was alive.

On this night Erlems dreams weren't plagued by the blood hungry willow tree or some other abomination with gnarling teeth and tentacles or claws and multiple heads. On this night he was nestled between two young women, their faces blurred with bright light, they whispered in Erlems ears, singing lullabies in voices he could not distinguish. He understood not their words but their feelings, his body felt warm and safe as if he was shielded from the monsters in his nightmares.

The following week they prepared to leave for the north coast. They had decided to leave in the night on the long road, Erlem cloaked himself so his hair would be hidden in case the royal military had taken control of the road and recognized them as mages. The world was currently a mystery to Daisy and Erlem, the current political climate was a guess to her and with the ferocity of the attack she believed the citadel was probably under siege and the mages living throughout the realm were probably killed or captured. Whatever the current case may be she wanted minimal attention and a red headed child would stick out in a common folk city.

On the morning they were to leave they rested during the day, they would traverse the swamplands east of the gnob and connect with the long road and travel it north to the ruins of Autumnveil and through the mountain pass towards Denizens bay and the Citadel city without any interruptions. They would stick to shadow hopping when they could staying of the main portion of the road and out of site.

The most dangerous portion of the journey would be the swamplands, the creatures who infested the wetlands surrounding the gnob were creatures of rot and decay, vermin, and predators were armed with venoms and jaws able to crush forged steel. Its putrid stench would burn the nostrils of those who wished to wander into the domain, pits of tar and rotting mud would bubble and hiss and pop releasing more heat and the stench of sulfur into the air. The humidity made any trek through it a struggle while the insects would sample your flesh leaving you itchy with large welts and blisters leading often to infections. It was like the swampland itself wanted to consume your flesh.

Daisy was weary but knew the journey was faster and Erlem didn't have the time to waste. By cutting through the swamp they cut at least seven days from their journey. If they stuck to the shadows they could avoid the creatures who wandered that aweful place.

The night air was crisp and the breeze nipped slightly as the northern perpetual autumn often did. The stars softly lit the entrance to the swamp so that it had an ominous forbidden aura about it. Daisy took Erlems hand and pinned a cufflink to his sleeve, " if ever you and I seperate and you find yourself needing safety you just need to give that a squeeze and it'll take you back to the front door of the gnob. You and your blood shall forever be able to call it home Erlem, you will forever be an Oakleaf, I may have fed you at my breast but my love for you is as real as any mothers. If we ever separate or you find yourself alone in the world remember the name and that you are my son Erlem and the gnob will always be yours." Daisy teared up as she spoke, there was a good chance they would die on this journey no matter the skills they had they were just two mages, one of which wasn't officially a mage but still a learned child. Scared of the world around him bound to a terrible fate traveling to a place surely infested with men who want his kind dead. Daisy knew where they needed to go but not the best way to get there, surely the safety of the shadows would allow them safe passage.

The pair stepped over the imaginary line that made up the border of the gnob and the swamp, the area seemed less vibrant, almost a dull grey except where the green moss grew which glowed a toxic color enticing the insects to it before spraying it in a cloud of acid and devouring the corpse that fell onto it. Erlem witnessed such an event as a cloud of mosquitos moved like a little black cloud towards the pair of travelers the passed a bed of the glowing moss which released a cloud of its own to meet them. The mosquitos fell from the air into the moss below and their bodies fell into the moss, the small hairs of it became ravenous tentacles ripping apart the insects and pulling them into itself.

Erlem shuddered at the carnage of the mosquitos and made a mental note to stay far away from the patches of green moss that littered the dry parts of the swamps pathways.