“No way!”
“I promise it doesn’t taste bad. In fact…it tastes kind of like chocolate.”
“I don’t believe you.” Kaia crossed her arms over her chest defiantly.
“It does!” He held one out, narrowing his eyes as he scrutinized her. “Oh, I get it. Don’t want to be childish…”
“You don’t know what you‘re talking about.”
“But I think I do.” He smirked tauntingly, waving a palmful of spheres in front of her face. “Live a little. These things don’t grow all over, you know. This might be your only chance.”
She huffed and grabbed the item from his hand, ripping it a little more forcefully than she had planned. Ryris smiled as she placed it on her tongue, rolling the sphere into position in her mouth before biting it. He did the same with another pod, and began to blow the spore ‘smoke’ along with her. Within a moment they were both giggling like children, their laughter echoing off the trees surrounding them.
“You know, those spores make a potion that can paralyze a man in ten seconds.” Ryris’ tone was nonchalant as waited for her to run out of “smoke.”
Kaia immediately spit out the material and feverishly wiped her tongue on her shirt sleeve. “Paralyze? And it’s in my mouth?”
Ryris laughed heartily, trying desperately to fend off her striking blows. She slapped his arms, wailing on him from all directions. “Hey, stop it!”
“You’re trying to poison me! I can hit all I want!”
“Don’t worry; it’s perfectly harmless by itself!” He grabbed her hand in an attempt to stop her assault. She finally relented and he continued. “That’s the beauty and magic, if you will, about alchemy. Something that seems harmless can kill, and something that looks dangerous, like needle weed, is actually used to soothe.”
Kaia scowled at him.
“Trust me.”
“Maybe…” She finally smiled and cast her attention back the way they came. “We should get back to camp; it’s going to be dark before we know it.”
Ryris nodded in agreement and scooped a few handfuls of the silvery spheres into a small wooden bowl he had in his basket, careful not to rupture the thin skin keeping the spores contained. “I can dry these out on the back of the wagon and harvest the spores for later. Should be a good haul.”
“Let’s stop on the way back and gather some of those other plants. I think Jaric deserves a taste…”
Ryris narrowed his eyes devilishly. “I like your style.”
~~~
“Are you sure there’s something over there? It just looks like underbrush.” Jaric tapped the tip of his sword against his heavy leather boots. His crystal ones rested in the wagon, having been replaced when they stopped to resupply after their desert adventure. A soft rain fell from the sky, filtering through the canopy of the surrounding forest. Not enough to soak, but definitely enough to be annoying.
“Don’t doubt me. My tiara is making my skin tingle.” Kaia trudged ahead, cutting through thick, spindly saplings with a razor-sharp shortsword. Grunting purposefully with each whack, she forged on, quickly leaving her two male counterparts in her dust. Her voice floated out from the brambles as she disappeared into the foliage. “There’s a shard here, I know it. What else could it be?”
“Monsters.” Ryris mumbled under his breath.
“I heard that!” Kaia’s voice was strong as she chopped a particularly thick vine blocking her path. “Now get up here and help me scout. There’s an overhang up ahead, jutting from that rock formation.” She pointed with her sword.
Peering into the forest in front of them, Ryris and Jaric followed their leader into the clearing she had made, knowing better than to argue with her. If she thought there was something there, then there was something there.
Kaia sheathed her blade as she approached the rock face, the overhang blocking the falling precipitation. The wind blew ferociously for a moment, moving a great clump of swaying vines. As they floated on the air currents, the trio caught a glimpse of white marble, weathered and spotted black with lichen from years of being ignored. Jaric pushed the greenery out of the way and exposed a forgotten statue, cracked from centuries of neglect. Nestled in the hidden alcove was a nearly life-size body form of Oleana, her face smoothed to almost nothing from years of exposure to the elements. The arms had broken off, falling to the ground where they had crumbled to nothing more than pebbles. The stench of mildew wafted around the team, the spots of mold peppering the stone statue and the surrounding alcove giving off a pungent aroma.
“Well? Is this where your fancy crown thinks something is hidden?” Jaric eyed Kaia skeptically.
Ryris still wasn’t used to Jaric’s brash way of speaking, and had to remind himself that the only reason Kaia allowed such disrespect was that he was practically her brother—a brother-in-arms. He had no doubt that if any other person dared address her in such a manner, they’d be eating their boots or find themselves on the receiving end of a sword pommel to the back of the head.
“It’s here. I’m sure of it.” She moved around the side of the effigy, pushing her body flush with the back of the alcove. Running her fingers along the stone, she moved her hands down the length of the statue, kneeling as she got closer to the ground. She began to knock on the pedestal, searching for any evidence of a hidden chamber. She finally smiled with satisfaction and held her hand out to Ryris. “Give me your dagger.”
Obeying without question, he handed her his knife and she pried open the back of the platform on which the fading Goddess stood. A panel popped off and Kaia reached in, producing a small velvet pouch. She beamed with excitement as she waved the parcel above her head. “And you said I was crazy!”
“I never said you were crazy.” Jaric knelt next to her, and held the package while Kaia undid the ties. “I may have thought it…but I’m tactful enough not to say it to your face.”
She rolled her eyes and busied herself unwrapping the precious artifact contained within the pouch. Even in the low, gloomy light of the forest, the shard shone with crystalline brilliance. Ryris moved closer to the pair, sitting on his haunches as he inspected the item in Kaia’s hand. It was smaller than the two belonging to his friends, but equally as beautiful. The edges were jagged, and Ryris couldn’t tell from which part of the original blade it had emanated from. He gingerly accepted it when Kaia handed it to him, careful not to knick his fingers on the razor edges.
“Three down, seven to go.”
Ryris stared at the glassy shard in his hands, thinking how it seemed almost impossible that they were going to locate the other pieces. Yes, they were guaranteed another shard when they got to Ealsig, but that still left six—and they had no clue as to where they might lay. Handing the blade fragment back to Kaia, Ryris couldn’t help but think out loud.
“I don’t want to be a downer or anything, but the empire is huge…and we have so many left to recover. What if we never do it?”
“Failure isn’t an option.” Kaia’s answer was determined, her expression steely. “Let’s not waste time dwelling on something we can’t control. Blackthorne is still more than a week away, and we need to make headway before it gets too dark to travel tonight.”
Jaric and Kaia slipped from the alcove and headed back toward the cart. Ryris lingered for a moment more, reaching out to wipe the dirt from the Goddess’ withering face. By the time the next century would turn, the visage would be unrecognizable. A sudden sadness washed over him at the sight of the forgotten effigy, wasting away alone in the woods. There was a good chance that no one would ever gaze upon the statue again, and it would be left to fade into oblivion without a second thought. Saying a small prayer to Oleana, he inhaled the musty aroma of the dank alcove before taking his leave. The vines returned to their original position, obscuring the niche and leaving the Goddess in dark solitude.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
I often imagine what it will be like the next time I set foot in Blackthorne. No doubt, I’ll be laden with gif
ts for Grildi. A warm reception would be nice, especially if there’s another chocolate tart. Who knows, Maxx might even smile.
--Journal Entry, Ryris Bren, 9th Autumn, YG756
Blackthorne’s gate caught his eye in the distance, and Ryris’ stomach immediately fluttered with equal parts happiness and terror.
He knew Maxx was behind that gate, and would express his opinions on why his son was home in a way that only he could. He’d more than likely yell, his face turning red as he clenched his jaw. Ryris really wasn’t looking forward to it.
The morning was crisp, the sun peeking out every so often from behind increasingly growing clouds. By nightfall there would be large snowflakes falling from the skies, adding to the already large piles of the white stuff on nearly every exposed surface. The chilled air froze Ryris’ nostrils from the inside out, and he relished in the feeling of having to pull his jacket snugly around his body to keep warm. He had missed Blackthorne more than he realized.
As the trio ascended the gradual hill leading toward the village, the cart rattled on the path, laden with armor, weapons, supplies, and belongings. The trees around the village began to clear, and Ryris caught a glimpse of a very familiar figure perched in the lookout tower. Hulking and massive, the man had a small paddleball in his hand, counting the strokes as he kept vigil on the peaceful surroundings. The noise of the wagon on the trail getting his attention, it took Grildi Amzod less than ten seconds to bound down the stairs of his keep and rush out the gate at full force. Ryris braced for impact.
“Boss!” Grildi embraced him with all his might, crushing Ryris against his barrel chest with exuberance. “You came back! I just knew you would!”
Ryris’ voice was muffled by Grildi’s heavy fur vest. He allowed the big man to squeeze him, knowing full well he was well on his way to asphyxiation. But he didn’t care. He had missed his giant friend, and, well…he was cold. The pelts lining the outside of Grildi’s vest were very warming to the skin.
When the village guard had his fill of affection, he plopped Ryris back down onto his feet, smoothing out the young alchemist’s coat. A giant grin crossed his face, tears flecking the corners of his eyes. He grabbed him by the hand and dragged him into the village, Kaia and Jaric following close behind. As they entered the town proper, the eyes of all the residents were on them—Grildi’s excited yelling having brought them out of their homes. Ryris scanned the crowd for the most familiar of faces, blowing out a long breath when he didn’t see Maxx. He didn’t know if he was disappointed—or relieved.
The mayor ran from his house, immediately grabbing Ryris’ hand in an exuberant handshake. Villagers crowded around the small group, giving them barely enough room to move. The baker’s wife pushed her way into the crowd and threw her arms around Ryris’ neck, planting a wet kiss on his cheek. He was immediately reminded of the last time he stood in this very square, surrounded by Blackthorne’s residents. Although last time—he wasn’t afraid of what his father might do or say. Once again, he scanned over the tops of the citizens’ heads, trying to see the storefront. He swore he saw Maxx’ face quickly appear in one of the frosty windows before disappearing again.
“The prodigal son returns! And you brought friends!” The mayor reached out to shake their hands, Jaric eyeing the man suspiciously as he reluctantly accepted the gesture. “Tonight we feast in celebration!”
Ryris’ cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he dismissively waved his hands in front of his body to get the mayor’s attention. “That’s really not necessary.”
“Pish! You’ll stay longer than a night, and you’ll eat your fill in the meantime! We won’t take ‘no’ for an answer!”
The crowd bellowed their cheers, all scattering off to prepare what would be, no doubt in Ryris’ mind, a grand spectacle. He knew better than to try and stop them, and accepted their fate. At least they’d be fed into next month.
Grildi stayed after the townsfolk had all gone back to their morning business. Wrapping an arm around his friend, he smiled hopefully. “Did you bring me anything?”
“Does a pair of new friends count?”
“And how!” Grildi looked to the strangers. “Are they nice?”
“She is…”
Jaric snorted and glared at Ryris.
“This is Kaia,” Ryris said, taking her hand and pulling her forward to meet his lumbering companion. “…and he’s Jaric.”
“You’re awful pretty, lady.” Grildi’s cheeks blushed. Kaia’s eyes crinkled in delight as the giant man took her tiny hand in his own and kissed it. He then turned his attention to Jaric, pointing to the scabbard on his back. “That’s the most beautiful sword hilt I’ve ever seen!”
Jaric nodded with pride. “You like weapons?”
Grildi replied with excitement. “Always! I’ve got my own special club; do you want to see it?”
Ryris patted him on the arm. “We’ve got plenty of time for that later. But right now…” He glanced cautiously toward his father’s shop.
“Aye. You best go see your dad.” Grildi patted the alchemist on the back. “And I better get back to my post. Can I come by later, though? I want to hear all about Keld!”
“Of course you can. I’ve…” He looked to his companions hesitantly. “…got a lot to tell you.”
Grildi beamed and jogged off, clambering back up the rickety wooden stairs that led to his lookout tower. He waved excitedly from his perch as he sat, resuming his sentry activities.
Ryris heard the familiar creak of a heavy old door, and turned just in time to see Maxx emerge from the store. He leaned against the jamb, arms crossed over his chest. Never speaking, it was obvious that Ryris would have to make the first move—something he really didn’t want to do.
“He looks friendly.” Jaric clapped Ryris on the back. “You sure you don’t want me to dispatch him? I promise it’ll be quick and relatively painless.”
“Not funny.” Ryris sighed and willed the butterflies in his stomach to go away. He clenched his fists, the leather of his gloves squeaking, and swallowed the lump in his throat. He knew this wasn’t going to be pleasant and briefly contemplated turning tail. A reassuring push on his lower back comforted him, as Kaia gently nudged him to go. Finally mustering the courage to move forward, his friends followed in tow behind him.
“You’d better have a damn good reason for leaving the shop.” Maxx stared his son down with piercing eyes.
“Nice to see you too, Dad.” Ryris could feel sweat rolling down his neck and into his collar, even though the outside temperature was beginning to dip into freezing territory. His entire body tensed and he tried to hide his shaking hands. He hadn’t been this nervous to confront his father since he had accidentally destroyed a very expensive piece of equipment in his youth.
Maxx looked around behind his son, taking note of his unlikely companions, never moving from his sentinel spot. Acknowledging them with a curt nod, he puffed a burst of air out from his flaring nostrils. He pushed forward off of the door frame with a grunt, motioning them inside. “Get in here before you catch your death. I’m sure you’ll want to get right at your explanations.”
Ryris silently walked past his father, avoiding eye contact. As he crossed into the store, he was immediately hit with a wave of nostalgia. A fire roared in the fireplace, Maxx’ alembic churning away on the worktable. The scent of thousands of ingredients melded into one familiar aroma. Jaric and Kaia shuffled in behind him, with his father bringing up the rear. He pulled the mighty door shut, the bitter cold wind sealed off from the toasty interior.
“Wipe your boots.” Maxx grumbled as he forced his way past the trio. “And flip the sign. I don’t think I’m going to have time for any customers today.”
Ryris did as he was told. After a long moment, all three had sufficiently dried their shoes and milled about in awkward silence. Maxx puttered behind the counter, extinguishing oil burners and emptying beakers. Setting his rucksack down with a heavy sigh, the younger Bren finally couldn’t take
his father’s ignoring any more.
“Look, Dad…”
Maxx flew around, squeezing the glass vial in his clenched hand to the point of explosion. His eyes were seething, his face red with anger. “Do you have any idea what you’ve put me through?”
Ryris flinched at his father’s harsh tone.
“I thought you were dead!” He winced as he noticed his finger had been cut by a shard of glass. Maxx stuck his finger in his mouth to soothe his wound. “You had no right to stay out of contact that long! No right!”
“I know. And I’m…”
“Sorry isn’t going to cut it this time.”
Ryris swallowed hard. Never in his life had he seen Maxx this upset. The look on his face when he spoke of his son’s pseudo-‘death’ was enough to break his heart. He knew it must have been eating away at Maxx. He submissively held his hands up in front of his chest to try and pacify his father’s wrath.
“Dad…everything’s changed. I…don’t even know where to begin.” His voice warbled with uncertainty.
“Then you’d better think long and hard about where you take this conversation. And don’t think I have all day. You see that stack of orders?” Maxx pointed to a pile of parchment scraps, a river stone acting as a paperweight. “I’ve been bogged down since you ran off to the capital to do who-knows-what.”
Kaia moved next to Ryris, ready to step in. He figured she could tell he was floundering fast, and beginning to crack under the harsh words of his father. But, he knew it was his duty to explain to his only living relative what was to become of him—of everyone. Ryris glanced her way for just a moment, reassuring her that he had the situation under control with a meek, hopeful smile. She nodded knowingly and stepped back.
The Alchemist: Dawn of Destiny Page 31