Chapter 17 - Trip Preparations
Mystari had taken the time to make certain the plans laid for the family while they stayed in the village were solid before finding herself watching the celebration from the guardrail near the visitor's home that had been cleaned for her stay. It was the first time in quite a number of days she'd have a bed to sleep in, but she could not find enough peace to seek it.
The villagers celebrated, two young ones powerful enough to be Mystics and a third more powerful still. It was nearly unheard of in such a small place so far from the capital, an event that would be spoken of for generations. She found herself hoping fervently that the tale would be one of a powerful head Mystic, the strongest their people ever had seen and not one whispered in other villages of a place destroyed to capture or control that very Mystic.
Eventually the celebration died down and she turned to make her way towards bed, only realizing how late it was as she sat down and pulled the communication orb out of her pack. With a slight grimace, she contacted her brother.
She decided to open with news that would surely gain her brother's attention, "I found the silver-furred Faelyn."
Zantarus grumbled once more, knowing that there had to be far more to it than that for Mystari to call in the middle of the night. Intrigued, he muttered for her to wait a few moments and threw some clothes on before making his way to his office. He lit the lamps with a small spell before settling into his chair, "But there's a problem," he prompted simply.
"Indeed," his sister agreed readily enough that it made him worry, "She's got eighty percent affinity in three elements."
That was good indeed, though not nearly enough to have earned Vex's approval, considering the boy had that in several himself, "And the other three?" He probed.
"Full affinity," Mystari said simply.
That alone warranted the call, but Mystari seemed somewhat distressed which prompted him to ask, "Which three elements does she have full affinity with, sister?"
Mystari sighed roughly, "Wind," that was good, Zantarus thought, they had few powerful wind magic users among the Mystics considering any with aptitude for it usually got snatched by the Divers or, admittedly, by himself for the royal guard. With three elements at full affinity, the girl undoubtedly belonged to Mystari's guild though.
He was just plotting how to arrange everything when Mystari dropped the problem that had made her call, "Both Light and Dark as well, brother."
He cursed at that, a frustrated tirade that continued for a solid minute before he stood, tail lashing with all the curses he didn't utter. The child was valuable beyond possibly causing Vex to gain an interest in something besides himself and his own magical prowess. By how high her affinities were alone, she was already set to stand aside the legends their people passed down. Light and Dark magic complicated things, though, as it put the king in a race with the ravens and the white-feathered hawks.
"Where is she, Mystari?" He grumbled as he summoned the head of the guards and several of his advisors from their beds using particular spells he'd crafted ahead of time for such occasions.
Mystari took a deep breath at that, more bad news, it was a race in which the ravens and hawks had a distinct advantage, "The village is one of the ones nearest the forest edge. The one to which Mystic Alnus of my guild is assigned."
That she identified the place by its Mystic and not by a name meant it was a smaller place, likely not even sporting a name of its own yet. It would have one 'ere long, having given rise to such a powerful young Faelyn, he thought. He caught hold of a registry of Mystics he had in his office, a spell-warded book that only he and Mystari could open, and began looking for Alnus and the location where he had settled.
Eventually he found it, the people he had called arrived, and the four of them began planning swiftly. Normally such an expedition would take a week to put together, they had everything ready to go by morning.
Zantarus himself strode into Vex's room, all but slamming the door open in his haste. Vex leapt from bed, preparing at least seven attack spells and three defensive ones in the time it took him to do so. Seeing that it was his father, he dismissed the spells, though his tail lashed with confusion and irritation at having been startled so severely. He knew better, though, than to raise his voice with his father and start an argument. The expression the king of the Faelyn wore said that something very big had happened and there was no time to fight over such petty things.
"We found your mystery Faelyn," his father began, watching as his son's demeanor brightened immediately, "The guards are ready to go, you'll be joining them to fetch her and her family. Don't fall behind or one of them has orders to drag you back here by your tail," he growled, turning towards the door without further explanation.
Zantarus was tired, tired enough that he forgot to explain why such haste was necessary. His son reminded him, however, almost timidly speaking up as he made his way towards the door and his own bed for a few more hours, "Father," he glanced over his shoulder, scowling slightly, "Why are we moving so swiftly?"
"You're in a race, son," he explained, "And your opponents are swift of wing. You must be swifter still…And safer by far."
Vex understood the warning well. A mention of wing could only mean the guilds of light and dark magic. The Faelyn that had caught his attention had both affinities, high enough to draw both guilds. He was to be part of safeguarding her trip to the capital, considering he had the advantage of already knowing much about his own shadow magic. He was to safeguard her and make certain he avoided capture as well, it was a dangerous task to be given.
He nodded his understanding and chanced a final question, "Who is she?"
Zantarus spoke the name that had been passed to him during their frantic planning, giving his son a concrete thing to hold onto as he performed the first of what would likely be many important jobs his father would give him, "Silaira Skyweaver."