Ized- the Ancestors

by Esther Barvar

  Adar waved off. »I was carried away by my emotions. I miss my wife very much, and when I had to hear these words from his mouth …« Adar closed his dark eyes and breathed deeply. »I have to look for Maioshan; otherwise, one day, I will hurt someone,« he whispered.

  »Adar, you don’t know where she could be or if she is still alive. But your son is alive, and he needs you. When she left, the fire was outside our city gates. She could not have overcome this conflagration. All the warriors we sent out perished. How could she have survived as a woman?«

  Adar closed his eyes, and a painful expression glided over the face. Then he shook his head. »She lives. I can feel it. She is in the land beyond the steep face, in the area of Emeishan. She told me the evening the last time the fire came. She told me the fire would stop when she left. I didn’t believe her. Since she left, the nights of fire have stopped. Then everything else she said must be true. I must find her. My son needs her. I need her«.

  Lord Abarta shook his head. »And then, Lord Adar? Will the fires come again?«

  »She spoke of the Red seeking her and being responsible for the fire. So I will kill this Red so that she can return with me without anyone in Ized being endangered. I must find him and kill him.« Then Adar stared at the ground with almost black eyes.

  »Adar, Lord Befen has excellent plans for you. In his view, you have the potential one day to take over my office. I agree with him. I see in you the power to carry it.«

  Adar drove together, pale, and stared at Lord Abarta stunned. His nostrils trembled indignantly. He forced himself to rest. »I have an aversion to the terrible battles being waged for this office,« he then said slowly and with great reluctance in his voice. »I would never take part in them and perhaps kill other magicians. The Administrator knows that. It is also an office with too much power. I don’t want to have such an influence.«

  Abarta breathed deeply. That’s what Befen meant. »You would not kill your enemies, Adar. You don’t have to. But precisely for this reason, because of your attitude, you would be the right one.«

  With a harsh gesture of his hand, Adar abruptly broke off the conversation. For him, the office was not up for discussion at all. He would never want it. He admired Lord Abarta for his devotion but knew well that he could never befriend such power himself. »I must now take care of my son. Excuse me, please.« He bowed before Lord Abarta, hastily turned to the door, and left without further ado.

  Abarta looked at the closed door for a long time before pouring himself a cup of wine and sitting thoughtfully behind his desk. The man was remarkable. He had the potential and simply refused the position. He didn’t have the ambition to control others, which in itself was an excellent sign. Adar became more and more interesting for Abarta. Hopefully, he managed what he had in mind. Ized needed men who had such a strong sense of honor. Any other attitude could disturb the delicate balance between humans and magicians. There had to be a way to convince him to be the right person for the job. He would have to talk to Befen about it. The Administrator seemed to be a devious man. Perhaps what Lord Sangen had achieved with him at that time would succeed.

  Adar went to the bathroom with his son as he did every evening. In the washroom, he knelt silently in front of Atesch to wash him. Meanwhile, Atesch told him about his experiences in the Administrators residence. The boy also scrubbed his father’s upper body with soap and a washcloth. Afterward, they showered themselves thoroughly and entered the hall of the water basins. Sitting in warm water, Adar took the boy on his lap.

  »Atesch, do you miss your mother?«

  The boy looked at him, then put his head on his father’s shoulder and nodded. »Yes, father. I miss my mother. She always sang so beautifully when she put me to bed. And she told me stories about dragons.« Then Atesch suddenly became very sad. With a tearful voice, he whispered: »She said she loves us. But when you love someone, you don’t just go away, do you?« Atesch could not understand why his mother had disappeared so suddenly.

  »Sometimes, the circumstances are like this, and you have no other option. Sometimes you have to go to protect the ones you love. That’s what your mother did, my little warrior. She had to go to protect us from the fire. I will also leave soon because I have to find her. We both need her, don’t we?«

  Atesch looked up at him for a moment, nodded again, and leaned his head against his father’s shoulder. »Mother shall come back.« Then he hugged Adar’s neck and hid his face on his shoulder. The little body twitched a little. Adar stroked his hair, comforting him.

  »In a few days, I ride away and look for her. I try everything to bring her back here. I’ll find her for us.«

  »Yes, father. We’ll look for her and get her back.«

  »No, Atesch. You cannot come with me. You must stay with Lord Befen. He will take care of you until your mother, and I come back.«

  »But I want to go with you.«

  Adar pressed him tightly to himself. He also had tears running down his cheeks. »I would like to take you with me, but I can’t. It’s too dangerous for a child your age,« he whispered.

  Atesch sniffed, straightened up, and defiantly declared: »But I am strong, Lord Abarta said that and I can ride, Lord Befen said that.«

  »He does, and he is right. And you are my son of whom I am proud. In a few days, the elementary school will start, and I don’t know if I will be back by then. But you have to go there to awaken your magical powers. You want to learn a lot, don’t you? You do want to become a strong warrior, don’t you?«

  Atesch looked at him for a long time. He thought about it and tilted his head a little. »I want to become like you, father,« he then explained.

  Adar smiled restrainedly and nodded. »But now we should go to sleep, my son.«

  »Will you tell me the story of the white-golden dragon? That is my favorite story. Mother often told it to me«.

  »I don’t know that story. But maybe you can tell me? I want to get to know it.«

  Atesch frowned. »Did mother never tell it to you?« he asked.

  Adar shook his head. »No, my son. She did not.«

  »I think I can do that«, he said and nodded in agreement. Arriving in the rooms, Atesch ran quickly into his room and jumped onto the bed. Then he slipped under the blanket. Adar, who had followed him, smiled, came to the bed and laid the blanket neatly over the boy. Then he sat next to him.

  »So, now tell me this story about the dragon,« he begged him.

  »Once upon a time there was a white-golden dragon. He had many, many children. They, too, were dragons. Dragons, in many colors of nature. Green ones like the leaves of trees, blue ones like the water of the sea, red ones like the blossoms of wild poppies, black ones like the feathers of ravens and brown ones like the bottom of a field. They lived peacefully with people. But one day, a wild tribe crossed the land and killed many humans. They robbed and plundered. The white-gold dragon defended the land and all the people who lived there. He killed many of the enemies. And the humans were afraid of the dragon, because he had not been as kind as they knew him. Brutally he had torn, eaten, or burned every enemy. And with it, he showed his true nature. Because people were afraid, they persecuted and fought him. One day he was lured into a trap and severely wounded. He suspected that he would die. So he returned home to the fortress Taishan and his children. He gave them the only thing he still possessed in excess: his magic. He transformed them into humans so that his children would not get killed. So the children of the Dragon became humans, and in them, the magic of the white-golden Dragon lived on. But he took his last breath and died.« Then the boy raised his finger to warn him. »But even today, you can recognize the children of the dragon by the color of their eyes. Like their father, they all have golden eyes.«

  Adar had listened silently. Atesch lay down. »Mother is undoubtedly a child of the dragon. For she also has golden eyes. Why do I not have golden eyes? I am also a child of the white-golden dragon if mother it is. I think this story is sad. I do not understand why hu
mans were afraid of the dragon. He only protected them. I would love to have a dragon.«

  Now Adar smiled, bent down to him, and kissed his forehead. »People are often afraid of things they cannot explain to themselves. Fear of the stranger. Thank you, Atesch. That was a lovely story. You can tell it wonderfully. The white-golden dragon was a noble being. He loved his children very much because he made it possible for them to live among the humans.«

  Atesch nodded tiredly. »Yes,« he murmured. »The dragon was very kind. Too bad, he died.« His eyelids flickered. Only a few moments later, he fell asleep.

  Lord Befen, Lord Adar, and Atesch sat together at breakfast this morning as well. Before Adar stood a cup of herbal tea, he had even taken some of the fruit bread and eaten it, which had not happened for a long time.

  Atesch had already finished his breakfast and walked around the residence with the servant. He observed what he was doing and tried to help. Meanwhile, Lord Befen and Adar were talking. Adar seemed even paler than usual.

  »Administrator, I can’t wait any longer. The incident with Mehit proved it. I am becoming more and more danger without Maioshan here. I can’t possibly control the negative feelings any longer. I have made my decision. Tomorrow morning I go out and look for her. But I have a big request. Take care of Atesch in my absence. I try to return with her as soon as possible.«

  Befen had feared it, but was shocked and protested immediately: »Adar, this is a hopeless undertaking. You don’t even know where to look for her.«

  Befen was simply desperate. Lord Abarta had already told him about the conversation in which Adar had hinted at searching for her.

  »I will follow her to the land of Emeishan. She told me she would return to her homeland to protect us here. She is there, can only be there. Where else would she go? We found her near the border, too.« Adar was sure he would find her there.

  »And what if she is not there? If she died here in flames? How do you intend to cope with the steep wall? What will become of Atesch if you cannot return or die trying to climb the steep wall?«

  Adar stared with dark eyes at the table in front of him. Befen waited desperately, hoping the words would affect his friend’s decision.

  »I will die here without her,« he said. The young man looked up. »So you see, I have to follow her. If I don’t reach my goal or die, then I ask you, make sure that my son gets good foster parents. If you take care of it, I know he’s in the best of hands,« he whispered.

  »Adar, he needs you.«

  The young magician was in despair with tears in his eyes. Finally, Befen understood. Adar really couldn’t help himself. He suffered terrible anguish.

  »I know that Befen, but he also needs his mother. I cannot replace her warmth and love. I also need Maioshan even more than he needs her. I feel how every day, a piece of humanity dies in me. I can no longer be without her. I do not want to be without her. I almost tore Mehit to pieces in my irascibleness. There wasn’t much missing anymore. I have become a danger to the people around me, Befen. I have attacked you and Lord Abarta, the most influential magician of our country as well.«

  Adar was desperate, and Befen noticed his fear of what he could do. He sensed how great Adar’s fear was of no longer being able to control the power and strength within him. Befen rose, went to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t want to inflict more pain and suffering on him. This man was his friend and had already endured too much.

  »You can’t help it. You are probably even right and will die without her. Lord Sors has discovered a book. You should read the chapter about the Force of the First Night before you leave. I suppose Maioshan didn’t know about the effects of your love for her, either.« Then he walked to a shelf, got Adar the book, and handed it to him.

  »You must read it before you go. Please forgive me. I should have given it to you before. But I hoped the love for Atesch would help you to get over it. Your son will be in good hands with me. You can count on that. I will treat him like my own flesh and blood. Lord Abarta has already eaten a fool of him. We will both take care of him. If it reassures you, I will accept him as my son until you return.«

  Adar rose and embraced the older friend. That he would take his son as his foster son was more than the young man had dared to hope.

  »You take a significant burden from my heart, my friend. I know I should stay here with him, but I can’t. I perish here without Maioshan. And then he would have lost us both. If I find her, perhaps I will also succeed in freeing her. I have to eliminate the Red, whoever or whatever the Red be.«

  »I know, Adar, I’ve been watching you with concern lately. You are only a shadow of who you were. Seek Maioshan and return with her. Find her for yourselves and your son.«

  Now the most challenging part came for Adar. He breathed deeply and took a thick envelope out of the cape. »Just in case I don’t succeed, Befen. I wrote a letter to my son. If I can’t make it, please give him this letter on his thirtieth birthday.« It twitched in the corners of his mouth, a fleeting smile scurrying across the trains. »As you know, only from the age of thirty can we warriors claim to have some control over ourselves. Atesch will also become a warrior, but today he is still too small to understand my actions. He will forget so much until he is old enough. But one day he will have many questions. At least then, he should know how much we love him. I have had my fortune rewritten in your name. Please use it for Atesch’s education.«

  Befen stood before him with tears in his eyes. He embraced his friend. Adar probably didn’t believe in a safe return himself, and that made him sad. Perhaps he would never see this friend again.

  Now Adar took a golden chain from his neck. On it hung two rings. They were the rings they had worn as wedding rings since their marriage and which were not allowed to go to Emeishan before their time. Adar had thought long and hard about telling Befen about them, but had decided against it. It was better if no one knew what they meant. They were to remain hidden until his son was old enough. The letter would tell him everything he needed to know.

  »They are meant as souvenirs for Atesch. When he is old enough to understand it and honor it, please give it to him, my friend. With it, he hung the golden chain around the Administrator’s neck. »I have declared to the High Lord of Warriors that I will leave the country indefinitely.« Adar suddenly grinned broadly. »He somehow didn’t like it at all and began to lament. When I told him that there were warriors regularly moving through the country and I would be replaced like everyone else, he would only have to put another name on the service list, his mouth remained open.«

  Befen had to laugh despite the situation. He could well imagine why Lord Reito now cursed. Finally, he had to change the duty rosters. Reito was just a warrior, and like all warriors, he loved the fight and hated to work on papers or plans. Besides, Ized had lost many warriors in the fires. As the High Lord of Warriors, he was also in charge of drawing up duty rosters. Befen himself knew that well. There had hardly been a day when he hadn’t had to make any changes when he had been High Lord of the Warriors. Lord Reito would get used to it … at some point perhaps.

  »I’ll pack and spend the rest of the day with my son if you don’t mind.«

  Befen could no longer speak. He just nodded.

  Befen walked over into his study, stepped at the desk, and took out a key from the top drawer. He took it to one of the cupboards and opened it. Behind the door were many compartments and a small lockable drawer. Befen inserted the key, turned it, and opened the drawer. He took a sentimental look at his friend’s precise handwriting. Clean letters were written there:

  To Atesch, my beloved son

  Then he put the sealed letter inside. He took off the chain Adar had just put around him and put it on top. Then he locked the compartment again and put the key back in its place.

  Late in the evening, while Atesch was asleep, Adar brought two large bags containing everything Befen would need for the boy. It was all Atesch had.

  Befen had had the ro
om right next to his own bedroom prepared for Atesch. There was even a connecting door so that the boy could always reach Befen at night.

  Adar put Atesch’s clothes in the chests of drawers and Befen helped him. So he already knew where something was. Befen observed Adar how lovingly he took every single piece into his hands. He felt how much his young friend was tormented by the idea of leaving his son here alone.

  »I will always be there for him, Adar. Hopefully you can pick him up here with Maioshan soon.«

  Adar nodded silently, without looking at him, and continued, piece by piece, into the drawers. He stroked every part smooth with his hand.

  The next morning Adar brought his son to Lord Befen. He was ready to go. Wrapped around his hip and knotted at the side, he wore the cloth of love. Atesch walked silently beside him by the hand.

  Already the evening before, he had left a bag with a change of laundry, two large water hoses, food, a blanket for the night, and his weapon bag at the stable. There he had asked for two animals to be prepared for him. A mount and a pack animal. The pack animal was to carry everything except the weapon bag.

  »We will accompany you to the stable, Adar.«

  He nodded and handed Befen the book back. »I read the chapter.«

  He didn’t say another word about the content, but Befen saw it in his eyes. Adar was aware of it. The content of the chapter also applied to him and Maioshan. He had to search and find her to live. He had to reconquer life with her because a life without her was not possible for him.

  A stable boy with two horses was waiting for her at the stable. One was loaded with luggage, and the other was saddled for him. Adar checked whether the bags were well secured on the pack animal. He also checked the saddle and tightened the girth again. Then he knelt on the ground before Atesch and held him firmly in his arms.