A Long Tiresome Journey: Part 1

Making my way through city towards the gates, I decided to stop by a few of the market stalls selling food and other items. I had some left over money from before I joined the school so I decided to use some of it here and then use the rest before I arrived home. I quickly filled my bag with cheap foods like bread and vegetables, and began to head off to the gate. As I walked through the street I noticed how off everything felt, everyone was doing what they'd always do but there was a strange feeling, was it unsurety? A herald blew his trumpets and quickly a group of people massed around him to hear the mornings news. I slowed my pace to fully capture what was to be said.

"In a weeks time the new royal family will take the throne! Please pledge your allegiance to the new royal family!" he yelled over the crowd, before taking a quick pause to let it sink in and then quickly repeating the same line. I picked my pace back up, as I did the crowd began to wonder who it would be, unlike me, I just wanted to get on with this war and have it over and done with. I approached the gate hailing the guard who quickly opened it for me, and as I left I took a deep breath, finally the air didn't smell and taste like shit.

I began my long journey down the cobbled road that would eventually turn to a dirt path, the sides of the road were covered in fields, the wheat looking like waves in the sea, blowing in the wind. It was a chilling wind that passed over and through my body, yet when it left when in shelter I could tell that my body was still cold, I hadn't realised it but I was afraid of returning home. Long have I hated to think on my past yet I knew that returning home would cause it all to come to a head yet again.

I spent a few days on the roads stopping in at taverns along the way to rest at different villages, my coin purse becoming lighter day by day. On the fifth night I decided to camp instead of using an tavern or inn, I bunkered down beside the small fire I had made for the night. I slowly fell asleep staring up at the night sky. As I awoke the next morning sat across from me next to the fire was an old man. I quickly jolted up grabbing my sword and drawing it towards him. Yet he didn't react, I slowly ushered myself towards him giving him a light tap with the tip of my blade. All of a sudden the man jumped up out of his seat, frantically scanning the surroundings.

"What was that for? Do you just go around casually poking old men?" his eyes becoming fixated on me.

"Do you just go around sleeping next to a strangers fire?" I remarked still ever cautious of him. He was an older man, his clothes were ragged and he smelled like horse shit, it was clear that he had gone unwashed for weeks. In his right hand he held tight a massive bag, whilst his left hand faced with its palm out to me. As I began to spoke again the ground under my feet began to move underneath me, quickly losing my balance and beginning to fall backwards. As I fell I could tell the old man was going to lunge towards me so I began to prepare for it, yet he didn't move. He just stood laughing at me.

"That your magic?" slowly sitting up, rubbing my back where it hurt most.

He continued laughing "Should've seen the look on your face there, too precious." Moving toward me offering my a hand up. I grabbed his hand getting up, it felt wet, extremely sweaty at least. He sat back down where he was as I sat on a log across from him.

"Where you headed lad?" he quickly tossed some firewood onto the fire and used his magic to relight it.

"I'm heading to my home in Forsberg territory, to Lord Forsberg's castle." I twisted the point of my sword into the ground.

"I see, well I best leave you to go on your journey." He began to stand up, and prepared to go his own way.

"Wait, you know magic. Can you teach me at least how to control it?" I quickly jolted up trying to stop him. He slowly turned to me with a sigh beginning to sit back down again.

"Right are you ready to listen? First I'll explain what magic is, then I'll explain how to control it." I quickly nodded sitting back down and awaiting to hear what he had to tell.

"Magic is the use of mana that has been blessed to us since birth. It is quite dangerous to learn magic without assistance due to mana's volatile nature, it will and can kill you if you are not prepared. That is really all we know about it, we don't know where it entirely comes from, but we do know it has something to do with us. Now on to control." He quickly formed a ball of what looked like water in his hand. "To control your magic you must learn to feel it, you must learn its smell, its taste, although that wouldn't be necessarily correct. Hold out your hands and think of a ball of mist between them, and then using your willpower slowly pull forth your mana."

As he was explaining I started the motions, my hands were extended and I thought of the ball of mist, what mist felt like, what it looked lie, what it smelled like. Then I could truly feel it, my mana coursed through my body and came out of my palms. I stared at the ball of mist in-between them in disbelief, I nervously laughed as the ball of mist slowly dissipated. The old man slowly clapped.

"Congratulations you've done magic that a child can do." Beginning to stand up and starting to walk away. "Now you know what it is, its now your choice what you do with it. Although you will need to find your natural affinity on your own." I stood and began watching him walk off whilst also putting out the fire in order to restart my journey.

I quickly grabbed all my gear and made my way along the road towards the next village.