by T. K. Chapin
“No, I’m a priest. I cannot partake in the spell. It requires knowledge of spells that priests cannot learn,” Amon said. Noticing Katlynn’s concern over the manner, Amon kissed her quickly. “I would not worry yourself over the ‘what if’ scenarios. Let’s go get some breakfast.”
**
Later that evening in their room at the Kol’Ork Inn, Amon was preparing to leave. “I’m going to head over to the local chapel and speak with the other priests. They might be willing to teach me some new spells. It’s quite difficult to find a priest willing to devote time to someone not in their own Priesthood, but it doesn’t stop me from trying.” Amon pulled out a black and white ring from his robe pocket and slipped it on his index finger.
“Where did that ring come from?” Katlynn asked.
“It’s a priest ring; it’s crafted by a high priest for only priests. It’s mostly symbolic for an identifier to other priests, but also adds a small amount of charisma to the one wearing it. Don’t you feel I’m more charming right now?” Amon asked smiling. Katlynn tossed a waterskin in Amon’s face and they both laughed. “I’ll see you around.”
“Wait,” Katlynn said recalling the ring she saw on Esyma. Amon stopped and turned around. “I saw this ring on Esyma, Nikolas’ mother; it looked like one of your black diamonds. She wasn’t sure what the enchantment was on it either. I was wondering if you saw anyone with one before.” Contemplating if he had or not, Amon looked at the ceiling in thought.
“No, I haven’t seen the ring before. It swirled with the colors and all that just like a black diamond does?” Amon asked curiously. Katlynn nodded as she picked up her mandolin and sat on the bed. “Interesting, I can’t say that I have seen one like that. I best get going though; I will return shortly my love!” Amon left shutting the door behind him.
Chapter 8
Katlynn began playing her mandolin but was interrupted when she heard musical sounds coming from outside the Inn. It was just faint enough that Katlynn could tell it was a flute. Curious to who was playing, she took her mandolin and ventured out into the town square.
A large bonfire in the center of town seemed to have attracted everyone out from their homes and shops to partake in the festivities. There were young boys sparring in the grassy meadow she had sat in earlier that day, women chatting away at the table, and a crowd of men drinking hops, as they laughed by the fire. Katlynn’s eyes fell upon a lone flute player; she could tell the woman was of Elvish decent from her pointed eyes and ears. The melody she was playing created green colored notes to appear from the end of her flute. They traveled throughout the nearby people and circled them as they dissipated. What kind of flute is that? Katlynn thought, approaching the flutist.
Stepping through the green colored notes, Katlynn found herself unable to stop smiling. What the heck? It’s a spell? Unable to break a smile, Katlynn stood and listened to the entirety of the melody.
“Did you enjoy my song?” The Elven woman asked as she noticed Katlynn’s mandolin in hand.
“I did,” Katlynn said as the notes’ effects wore off letting her face relax. “How did you do that with the notes?”
“I’m a Bard, it’s what I do. I’m Syrena, what’s your name?” the Elven woman asked with a smile and a hand extended.
“I’m Katlynn.” Katlynn noticed the Elven women look at her mandolin again. “Why do you keep looking at my mandolin?”
“That mandolin reminds me of a great mandolin that my mother had back when I was a child… Could I see it?” Syrena asked. Katlynn handed it and held Syrena’s flute for her while she inspected it. Flipping it over, she found an etching towards the lower bottom of the mandolin. Showing her the etching, Syrena said, “That’s the mark of my people.” Syrena pulled her tunic’s arm sleeve back to show her the same marking on her arm.
“I see… Is the magic from your flute rune magic?” Katlynn asked curiously.
“No, it’s Bardic. It’s neither Curo or Rune purely. It’s a small niche of magic that is not widely practiced. It’s only casted through songs.”
“I haven’t heard of it before,” Katlynn said.
“That’s because there is no real need to explain Bardic magic to young people in your people’s eyes. They see Bardic music as unimportant.” The crowd of men of the fire began to argue and brawl. “Let’s find somewhere more quiet.” Syrena led Katlynn down a dirt path just outside of town to a moon lit waterfall.
“Could you teach me Bardic magic?” Katlynn asked eagerly as they approached the pond’s edge that the waterfall poured into. Syrena looked her up and down as if she was inspecting her for something.
“It depends. What are your origins?” Syrena asked politely. With a look of nervousness in divulging that she was the princess of the Durandel Runic royal family, Katlynn kept silent about her family name.
“I come from Runics, but I have yet to practice,” Katlynn said.
“Well if you are a non-practicing Runic, you are okay. If you had been inscribed already, you’d not be able to practice the Bardic magic. To cast a single note spell, you have to be concentrated with the magic. That means you must first learn the Song of Fusion that will fuse your body with the power of the Bards, known as Mel’oki.”
“Show me the song; I want to play magical notes on my mandolin!” Katlynn said in excitement.
“It’s a serious decision you should not take lightly Katlynn. Once you do the song, you will not be able to go back. I will show you the song on your mandolin and provide you with the song sheet along with some other melody sheets to take with you. Do not play the Song of Fusion until you are sure you want to become a Bard, it’s irreversible once it’s been played.” Katlynn took note of the seriousness in Syrena’s eyes and tone. Do I want to be a Bard forever? Or just play a few songs?
Syrena took the mandolin from Katlynn and began to play the Song of Fusion. As she played, the notes that came from the mandolin were blues, greens, yellows and reds. Each note sizzled with electricity as they floated in the air over the water towards the waterfall. Katlynn couldn’t take her eyes off the beauty each note had in appearance and her ears rang with pleasure at the sound of each note.
“It’s entrancing…” Katlynn said in awe. Syrena continued to play the song until it was completed.
“Another thing about Bardic magic, it’s a branch from Curo, so you are limited to recharging your mana through black diamonds, just as the pure Curo users are.” Syrena handed the mandolin back to Katlynn with a smile. “The music we bards play is not only beautiful; it’s helpful to the people around us.”
“What do you mean? Like the smile you forced me to have in town?” Katlynn asked as she watched the leftover notes still dance across the water before they faded.
“Well, that’s more of a blessing. You see…” Syrena sat down on a rock nearby to take a rest. Katlynn joined her on the rock as she continued. “The songs we play fall into a few different groups. There are blessings which will help people have courage, strength and speed… that kind of thing. There’s defensive, which will put animals to sleep, cure poisons, will heal and so on, and then there are offensive songs, which are hard to find but those songs will actually inflict harm on those who stand in their way.”
“Tell me, What if you just strum some random notes instead of following a specific song?” Katlynn asked.
“It’s possible you could create something, but mostly it’ll just shoot random notes and nothing will come of it. If you get lucky and get something to work, hopefully you can remember what notes you played and write it down for the future.” Syrena looked up at the moons and was startled by the lateness of the evening. “It’s getting late; I have to get back to the inn. I have an early departure in the morning but I will leave the sheets here behind this rock for you in the morning before I leave.” Syrena and Katlynn journeyed back into town and went their separate ways when they arrived at the inn.
Returning back to her room in astonishment of the Bardic magic, she found Amo
n asleep on the bed. She tipped-toed into the room and set her mandolin down beside the bed and then carefully retrieved a waterskin from her pouch. She noticed the glow coming from Amon’s pouch on the table. What is that boy hiding from me? Katlynn wondered as she set her eyes on the pulsating yellow glow. Peering over at Amon as he lay in bed, she decided to not snoop and continue to honor his wishes.
Chapter 9
Climbing out of bed the next morning, Katlynn noticed Amon was still asleep. Leaving her mandolin behind, Katlynn went out into the town to explore. Spotting a spell shop, Katlynn was curious what they had in stock. As she walked in, she was greeted by a tall thin man that had straggly white hair.
“Good morning,” the shopkeeper said as he continued to set scrolls onto one of the shelves in the shop.
“Hello,” Katlynn said as she walked around the store admiring the various stones and scrolls that lined the shelves. A man entered the shop while Katlynn was browsing and approached the shopkeeper quickly. They went into a back room of the shop but had left the door open as they conversed. Katlynn felt curious to what the shopkeeper and the mysterious man were discussing in such a private manner. Finding her way to a nearby shelf that sat close to the back room they were in, she listened in.
“That’s ridiculous, it’s a twenty second cast for the Feather spell, how’d she think she’d cast it before hitting the ground? The kids today practicing Curo are ridiculous,” the shopkeeper stated with a bit of agitation.
“It’s a crying shame,” the man responded.
Katlynn began to leave the shop when she suddenly heard the word ‘king’ in their conversation. What is it they speak of my father for? Katlynn wondered as she returned to the shelf near the door and listened in again.
“They’ll be here by nightfall,” the man said. Walking out from the backroom, the man looked at Katlynn sternly. Turning away quickly, Katlynn grabbed a ruby from the shelf and approached the counter hoping to appear she was a customer and not just lending an ear to eavesdrop. The man eyeballed Katlynn suspiciously with a raised brow as he walked by her. Stopping before he got to the door, he turned around. Katlynn’s heart twisted in fear inside her chest as the man began to walk back towards her. Each step twisted the knot more.
“Here are the silver farthlings I owe you,” the man said tossing a pouch of coins to the shopkeeper. The man turned and left. Katlynn’s nerves relaxed as the man made his way out into the town.
“Did you want to purchase the ruby or just stand there?” The shopkeeper asked annoyed.
“How much for the ruby, Sir?” Katlynn asked quickly. She had not the slightest clue to what purpose the ruby had, but Katlynn did not want to blow her cover. She feared if she didn’t buy it, she’d be figured out.
“That there ruby, she’d be 50 silver,” the shopkeeper said. Glancing in her coin pouch, she saw she had a few gold pieces left. She pulled one gold coin out and handed it to the shopkeeper. He opened the pouch he had just received from the man and handed her back 50 silver.
“Thank you,” Katlynn said grabbing the ruby from the counter and tossing it into her pouch. As she stepped back into the town square, she felt relieved to be out of the situation, but scared that her father’s guards could be on their way to Kol’Ork. Could my father be sending guards here? Katlynn thought as she rushed back towards the inn. Noticing the dirt path that led to the waterfall Katlynn recalled Syrena’s promise of the song sheets by the rock. There’s no time for that right now, I’ll get them later. Getting back to the inn, she quickly made her way to the room.
Shutting the door behind her, she found Amon still fast asleep. Jumping onto the bed, she shook Amon quickly. “We must leave; I believe my father has guards in route of this town and shall be here by night.”
Amon rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he sat up in the bed. Looking out the window, Amon glanced at the sun just beginning to come up. “It’s a bit early to leave if they are coming tonight,” Amon said sinking back down into bed.
“Where’s that paranoid Amon I know and love?” Katlynn asked as she shook him.
“He’s tired from learning a new spell with the priests last night… Just give me a bit more time. We can leave at high noon.” Amon fell back asleep quickly.
If he’s just going to sleep, I’m going to get those melody sheets. Katlynn left the inn and ventured back to the waterfall. The blond boy that had laughed at her was swimming in the pond beneath the waterfall as she approached.
“Have you come looking for me to teach you how to play your mandolin?” The boy asked smiling at her. His voice was slightly muffled from the waterfall behind him.
“I have not,” Katlynn shouted across the pond. Walking over to the rock, she began searching for the song sheets. She found the sheets tucked under a bush a foot away from the rock. Awesome, she thought to herself as she pulled them up to her chest.
“What’s that?” The boy asked curiously.
“Nothing to worry yourself with, have fun swimming little boy,” Katlynn said as she began to walk back up the path.
“Why are you off in such a hurry?” The boy asked. Turning around, she looked at him standing in the water. “Watch this,” He said disappearing under the surface. Curious to what he was going to do, Katlynn waited at the pond’s edge.
The boy popped up in a different spot in the pond. Etching his fingers in the air above his head, he drew a symbol before diving back down. Appearing across the pond in a different spot, he etched another symbol. Then a final time, he etched the air with his finger. As his etching finished, Katlynn noticed it formed a triangular shape between the three points. “Ready?” He asked with a smile.
“Sure,” Katlynn said. What’s he up to? Katlynn wondered as she watched the water curiously.
Diving back down into the water again, the boy vanished. A few moments later blue streams of energy flowed from each of the three symbols that he etched. Trying to get a better look, Katlynn looked out across the pond on her tip toes and watched the streams pour into the pond. That’s rather strange Katlynn thought to herself as she waited. The streams suddenly froze and reversed themselves, pouring the opposite direction and the boy began to emerge in the center of all three points. His arms were crossed and he carried a grin as a platform of water raised him up into the air. While standing on the center of the platform, he bent down on his knees and etched a symbol in the middle of the platform, then pushed the etching downward. Water funneled up from the pond through the etching elevating the platform higher. The young boy was now at least forty feet up into the air.
“Wow!” Katlynn said as she clapped. “Impressive skill for such a young Runic user.”
“My Father taught me at a young age to be aggressive with my magic. I began using at the age of ten, so four years of practice… I definitely have a jump start.”
“He ignores the recommendation of the Runic Order?” Katlynn asked almost defensively.
“It’s only a recommendation, not a mandate,” the boy said. “What’s your name anyways?” the boy asked as he adjusted the etching to lower his elevation and push over to the shoreline.
“I’m Katlynn… you?”
“Kai,” he said. Kai walked the platform to each corner and swiped the etchings out of the air causing the water to give out. As he stood up on the shoreline, Kai reached out shaking Katlynn’s hand. Glancing at the sheets, Kai asked, “Come on, what are those?”
“They are just melodies from a friend I met,” Katlynn said putting them behind her back. Kai reached behind her and grabbed them forcibly from her hands. Katlynn tried to stop him but he pushed her back into the dirt.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you, but my curiosity is far too strong for me to ignore and you weren’t being cooperative.” Kai inspected the sheets. “These are Bardic songs,” Kai said tossing the sheets onto Katlynn’s torso as she lay on her back in the dirt. “It’s a useless practice of magic,” Kai said as he walked up the trail towards town. Jumping up, Katlynn caug
ht up to Kai on the trail.
“How come you shifted from laughing and smiling to serious and almost evil when I wouldn’t give you the sheets to look at?” Katlynn asked curiously as she walked by his side. Kai stopped and looked at her.
“Like I said before, my curiosity is far too strong to ignore. I even apologized for it. It’s a flaw that I’m trying to fix. The strength that my curiosity has is not something I have been able to control.”
“I see…” Katlynn said softly.
“I can control the likes of Runic magic pretty well so far, but when it comes to an internal self-control issue… I fall short daily.”
As they got back into the town square, Katlynn looked at Kai and put a hand on his shoulder. “You can overcome anything you put your mind to Kai. The Runic magic you love so dearly is in your mind and so is your curiosity. I accept your apology for your roughness with me back at the waterfall, but I would say you need to fix that issue.”