by Jay Boyce
His gaze turned complicated, and he finally answered after a moment with his own question. “Was your world particularly peaceful?”
She reflected for a minute. There were wars, but they were far away from her. She’d never seen much violence personally, though she supposed she’d heard about the after effects of it when people came into the hospital mangled. Not quite sure where he was going with his question, she tried to explain. “There were wars, but infrequently. On the whole, I suppose most people lived their lives peacefully. Only the soldiers or police saw much violence up close and in person. I guess there were people in bad areas too, like gang violence, but I think, for the most part, people were fairly removed from it. So I guess you could call it a little peaceful? What the average person saw was mostly a fistfight at best.”
Thoughtful, he questioned her, “You had no monsters to fight?”
She frowned. “I mean, I guess in Africa they fought lions and stuff, but no. Humans in my world were the top of the food chain, and we had… Well, let’s say hunting was a pastime for some people.” With a sigh, he seemed to be considering how best to tell her what she needed to know. A little light bulb went on in her mind as she remembered some of the video games she’d watched streamers play. “Wait, is it like… Humans live in tiny concentrated patches here, and everywhere else is pretty much overrun by monsters?” Usually, people in the games were hunting the monsters for experience or gold. She supposed it was probably similar here, in that they would get experience in their skills…
Surprised at her guess, he nodded. “Yeah, that’s about right. Here, the monster threat is ever-present. We’ve claimed a certain amount of land, but we have to constantly subjugate and eliminate the monsters so they don’t invade our villages and cities. Most people carry weapons in case one of them manages to infiltrate the city, which happens occasionally, despite our best efforts.”
Okay, so that made her feel slightly less safe wandering around on her own, but she figured if almost everyone aside from her was armed, she was still probably reasonably safe. With a frown, she asked. “Wait, that means I’m probably going to have to hunt them, aren’t I?” She wasn’t sure she liked that. When she had pictured her new, normal life, she hadn’t included killing things on her list of things she’d do. Was accepting violence a part of the price she had to pay for being here?
Lucas had a thoughtful look on his face as he speculated, “As a healer, you probably won’t be put on the front lines. You’d be fairly protected on any raids you went on, simply because healers are so rare, but in such high demand. But yes, you’ll probably be asked to go. It’s part of the training of Dracona.”
She sighed, staring at the pile of books in front of her. Suddenly, this seemed a bit less fun. However… She was determined to succeed in this world. She’d just be so strong that nothing could hurt her. Steeling her resolution, she nodded to herself and regarded Lucas. “Do you have something like a monster book of monsters?” If Harry could deal with monsters, so could she!
“You mean the Monster Compendium?” He asked quizzically.
“Yeah, that.” Sigh. No Potter references would ever make sense to these people. Such a sad thing. You were practically shunned in her old world if you didn’t know your Potter trivia. Unless you were one of those people who thought it was of the devil, of course.
He nodded. “I’ll add it to the list of books to bring.” He glanced at the large pile of books on the table. “You said you wanted to go eat?” She nodded a little sullenly, still a bit put out by the prospect of monsters attacking her randomly or her having to attack them in their homes. “Then might I suggest you try Evergreen? It’s just down the street, and they’ve got the best steak around.”
At the mention of steak, her stomach grumbled, and she smiled despite herself, aware that he was trying to distract her from darker thoughts. “I’d like that. Where do I go?” He gave her directions and then excused himself to go find books and tend the front desk. She glanced at the books on the table, running her hands across the letters. First thing I’m going to do when I create the printing press is get rid of cursive. I can’t believe I miss Times New Roman, Calibri, and Arial. Sometimes, boring is better. Shaking her head, she left the room, closing the door behind her and making her way quietly out of the library.
Stepping into the sunshine, she found herself relaxing. Somehow, thinking about monsters in the darkened library made it seem so much scarier. She knew Eric meant well by giving her that room, but she really needed to see if there was somewhere with a window that she could read. Trapping herself alone in the dark to read was bound to make her paranoid.
She wandered down the street in the direction Lucas had told her, doing her best to brush up gently against people, her fingers feather light as she grazed their arms. Whenever someone regarded her strangely, she gave her best innocent smile and said sorry quietly. She was nearly there when she stopped in her tracks, staring into a window.
The most fantastical little glass creatures were suspended in the air, much like Christmas ornament stores in the movies would do. They were so colorful, lifelike, and beautiful in their design. It was almost as if they were in motion. Entranced, she found herself entering the store. Inside was a little stuffy, as heat was escaping from what she guessed was a workshop in the back room. She couldn’t quite place the smells, though heated leather was a part of it. The little bell above the door tinkled, announcing her entry.
She drifted, mesmerized, to the display of fantastical animals. Whoever had made them was a master. A dazzling phoenix in flight caught her attention. It almost seemed alive, and the only thing that would make it better was if it glowed from within. She glanced around, but seeing that no one had come to greet her yet, she reached out a finger, delicately touching the cool glass.
Glow for me. She imagined a faint burning glow of light coming from within the phoenix, and was delighted when the warmth in her fingers moved into the glass. The light played with the glass, and it genuinely seemed as if the phoenix was now on fire. She sighed in satisfaction, drawing her hand away. Only, the glow didn’t disappear when her hand left it. She stared, mystified, realizing she had just magicked someone else’s wares without their permission.
“Hello there. Can I help you?” The gentleman’s gruff voice made her straighten and turn, blocking the phoenix from his view guiltily. He seemed to notice her action and sighed, asking quietly, “You didn’t break anything, did you?”
She shook her head, squeaking quietly, intimidated by his burly frame and bushy beard. He reminded her of a human-sized dwarf, wearing heavy boots and pants, topped by a sleeveless tunic and a heavy leather apron. She noted that his hazel eyes were on the smaller size as he squinted at her suspiciously. The smell of singed hair became more apparent the closer he got. “No, I didn’t break it… But…uhmm…I did change it?” He looked perplexed, walking over and peering around her as she scooted away with a little sigh.
“What the…” He stared at the phoenix, then at her, asking incredulously. “What exactly did you do?”
She smiled a little warily and lamented guiltily, “I just…I thought it would be prettier if it glowed with a fire within, and I’m a new light mage, so I thought it would just be temporary, but it kinda…stuck? I’m sorry, I didn’t know it would happen… I’ll buy it off you. If it’s too expensive, I might not be able to buy it today, but I can probably borrow some from Eric or Stephen until I earn it myself...” She rambled on in her guilt.
He seemed to take pity on her, patting her on the head briefly to shut her up like a doting parent. He spoke gruffly, “It’s okay, little one. I’m not mad, and you didn’t do anything wrong. I’m Damian. What’s your name?”
She smiled up at him, happy that a new little blinking light had appeared in the corner of her vision as much as that he wasn’t angry. Someone who could create these stunning figurines was bound to be awesomely skilled! “I’m Jade. It’s very nice to meet you, Damian. Your work is absolu
tely beautiful.”
He grinned at her. Everyone liked having their work sincerely complimented, after all. She started to picture him as a gruff teddy bear. He looked a little rough, but he was all soft and cuddly inside. She was amazed that such a big man could have such a delicate touch. “Thank you. It’s always nice to find someone who appreciates what you do. But I must admit, I quite like what you’ve done to my little phoenix. You said you’re new to light magic?”
He liked what she’d done! She beamed, and then it sunk in. What she’d done would probably increase its sell value. If she could do this as another source of income… Maybe it would help. She needed all the capital she could get to start her inventing business. And then she realized… She was in a glass shop! There were things she needed… So eyes sparkling, she nodded and decided he was going to help her make her prototypes; if he’d agree, that was.
“Yes, I’m actually a traveler. I only got here yesterday, and it’s all been a bit overwhelming trying to adjust. But apparently I have an aptitude for magic.” Contemplating the little figurines, she asked quietly, “How much do you normally sell these for?”
She had a shrewd spark in her eye, and she knew he saw it. He laughed and exclaimed, “Aye, you’re a sharp one. I normally sell them for about five laurels, but if you magicked them up, I could probably sell them for a crown.” She nodded. Doubling the price for a little bit of magic, but probably only if it was well done.
She tried to do the calculations in her head, but then gave up. Might as well make it simple so he’d do her favors. She spoke honestly, “I’d like to make a deal with you. As I said, I only got here yesterday, so even though I was accepted to Dracona, I’d like to secure my own funding. With my magic, you’ll net five more laurels. I’ll do it for two, giving you a net gain of three if they sell well. We could do a test batch to make sure the math works out. However, there are a few things from my world that I miss, and I think you could help me with them. They’re fairly simple, and I would, of course, deduct the cost from what you would pay me. What do you think?”
He looked thoughtful, considering what she’d implied as he studied her. Finally, he nodded. “That sounds fair.” Of course it was fair, without him having to do anything, she’d come in and make his product twice as valuable! It was basically giving him free money, plus she figured the extra wow factor would make people more likely to buy them, so he’d sell more of them. It was a win-win for everyone! He proved his acumen by saying simply, “I think I would like to start off with a test batch though, and then we can get a contract written up.”
She beamed. “Perfect! Let’s do the test batch. Which ones do you want me to do?” She glanced around the room excitedly. “Actually, can I pick?”
He laughed. “Go ahead and choose what you want.” The implied connotation was that he wanted to see what she could do. Well, she was going to rise to the challenge! He stayed where he was, watching her. It seemed he wanted to see the process and what she chose, but he also wasn’t hovering like a helicopter mom, much to her relief. Thankfully, she’d started walking a lot more normally at this point, so there was a much lower chance of her tripping and ruining everything, but she was a little nervous about that all the same.
Scanning the room, she realized that many of the figurines were based on what she assumed were the monsters or nature of this world. There were some of the things she associated with animals of her world, but most of them looked wilder and fiercer. She came to a shark-like one, but it wasn’t...quite right. It was stunning, but not entirely like a shark, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on what was different.
Concentrating, she gently touched the glass. It was already a light bluish-gray color, so she tried to match that within the glow of the shark, picturing a dark blue light for the splashes of water it was emerging from, adding little white light tips at the end like foam as well as his teeth. She felt the warmth, and when she pulled her hand away, the sharkey thing was now gently glowing from within. The teeth flashed menacingly, shining as they were. She grinned. It looked awesome!
About six glass statues later, she sank to the floor when she finished infusing light into it. Damian hurried over, a worried look all over his face. “Are you okay?”
She smiled wearily. “I’m fine; I think my body is just telling me my limits and that I’m hungry. I originally came out for food, but I was distracted by your pretties.” Okay, her limit was pitifully low. She wondered if it had anything to do with her stamina. Probably. She should touch more people.
Anyway, she could tell she was getting distracted and had to forcefully bring herself back to the present. With a smile, she said simply, “I’ll be fine after I eat. So why don’t I explain what I need for my special projects, and then I’d probably better go eat something…”
Chapter Fourteen – Phoenix
She left Damian’s store, ironically named The Glass Phoenix, a few minutes later with nine laurels and a small metal box in hand. He’d boxed up the phoenix she first touched and tried to give it to her with fourteen laurels, but she’d stubbornly insisted on paying at least the original price for it and thus would only accept nine laurels. She’d already accepted bribery once, and besides, they were hopefully going to have a long and successful partnership, so she wanted to start on equal grounds.
Still, the coins in her pocket filled her with a quiet sense of pride. She’d begun her first foray into building up the capital to take over the Capitol with her ‘new, innovative’ ideas. And yet, the quiet jingling and weight of the coins also made her nervous. She needed to get a coin pouch or something that would deter any would-be pickpockets. Shaking her head, she walked down the two doors it took to get to Evergreen, entering the brightly lit...bar? Cafe? She wasn’t quite sure what to call it.
The large windows facing the street let in copious amounts of sunshine, making it seem much brighter and cheerier than how it was portrayed in movies. And yet, there was the stereotypical bartender’s area at the back of the room with bottles and glasses lined up prettily on custom-made shelves. There was also a healthy stream of traffic into a back room which she assumed was a kitchen, given that the servers kept coming out of it with steaming plates of food.
She clutched her little metal box tightly, unsure of what to do. Did she just find a seat? Did she wait to be seated? Did she go to the counter to order? Her indecision seemed to spark the pity of one of the waitresses because she came over and asked kindly, “This your first time here, luv?”
Not your luv, dearie. But whatever, she’s here to help! Don’t be picky about what she calls you…
Jade smiled merrily and nodded a bit shyly to disguise the brief flash of discontent she’d had there. “Yes, it is. Is it that obvious?” She laughed a little nervously, trying to crack a joke. She never claimed to have great interpersonal skills…
“Just a wee bit. Well, come on in. Next time you can just find a seat you like. For now, why don’t you come over to my section? I’m Felice, by the way.” Is she trying to get a better tip? Jade just smiled and nodded again. She didn’t care where she sat, as long as she got food, and fast. She was led over near one of the windows, which she was pretty happy about. It meant she could people watch! She cheerfully sat down and smiled at the waitress, her look saying, ‘well?’
Getting the hint, Felice smiled. “Ah right, first timer. We serve set meals here. Today’s specials are the steak, pork chops, or the blue salad. Each comes with two sides and a mug of juice and costs five leaves. Anything on top, you’ll pay extra for. For sides, you can choose between a baked potato, mashed potato, grilled carrots, broccoli soup, rolls, or roasted corn.”
Jade regarded at her speculatively for a moment, then nodded and declared. “I’ll take it.”
The poor lady was nonplussed and maybe a little annoyed with her. “Which one?”
Jade smiled innocently. “All of them. I want one of each dish and side. And the three mugs, of course.”
Felice seemed a little
bewildered still, though less annoyed as she tucked a piece of wispy brown hair back behind her ear. “Are you waiting for someone to join you?”
“Nope, just me! Can you maybe sneak me ahead though? I’m starving!” She said the last part with dramatic emphasis, even though it was entirely accurate.
Hesitantly, the slightly aggrieved waitress asked, “Did you want me to bring it out all at once?”
Jade just grinned and shook her head. “No, just bring whatever’s ready out. I don’t need it all in front of me at the same time!” She laughed softly, and the waitress muttered a soft confirmation before scurrying away. Admiring the box in her hand, she set it on the far end of the table by the window, figuring there was probably enough room, and opened it up gingerly. She pulled the sculpture out, covered as it was in its protective cloth. She put the cloth back in the box, then placed her phoenix on top of it so it was still reasonably safe, but now glowing softly at her.
A giddy smile soon took over her face. This was the first thing she’d ever bought with money she had earned herself! (She didn’t want to count the bribe.) She found herself just staring at it dreamily. Where was she going to put it? If the library was safe, maybe she’d leave it there. It could give her courage in the darkness.
Fairly soon, thankfully, Felice brought her first dish out with a mug. It was the steak, baked potato, and grilled carrots. Setting it down on the table in front of her, she chirped, “Here you go–is that one of Damian’s creations?” She had paused mid-sentence to stare at the beautiful figurine on the other end of the table.