The Windcaster [Fantasy/Adventure | Featured | Complete ]

Chapter 40: Nowhere to Go

Mommu, are you all right?

Mommu, where are you?

Please Sing back if you can hear this. I need to know you are safe.

I am waiting in Ratho, where you told me to be.

Please, Mommu, please be unharmed.

Tia sighed and withdrew her energy from the Wind, closing her eyes in an attempt to control her emotions. Two hours of Singing but not a single reply from her friend. She didn't dare to let her imagination take charge, but she couldn't help but fear the worst. Even the beauty of the sound she made with the Wind couldn't cheer her up.

She opened her eyes again to see a crowd of children, about twenty or so of them, standing in front of her, clutching one another. They were clothed in the same tattered outfits as the rest of the townspeople, with their bony wrists and knocking knees visible through the thin materials. They stared at her with fascination in their round eyes.

They whispered amongst themselves, throwing her furtive glances. Without warning, one of them was pushed forward, towards her. He stumbled, squealing, and glared over his shoulder before flushing to the roots of his curly hair, realising his proximity to the Caster.

The rest of the children hissed at him, sniggering. His knees trembled as he gazed up at her in awe.

Tia smiled at him and crouched, so that they were at the same height. His shoulders eased as he smiled back with a little more confidence. He pointed a bony hand at her staff, his eyes shining.

"You want to hold it?" She passed it to him with both hands. He took it with great care, his mouth in a perfect 'o' shape of admiration. He stroked the Wind gem, a deep, sapphire stone, set near the top of the staff, marvelling at its clear crystalline appearance. He trailed his fingers along the curved upper extremities, caressing the smooth wood and down the length of the staff, gripping each segment.

He placed the end of the staff onto the ground and looked up, a determined glint in his eyes.

"Whoosh!" he shouted, throwing a hand out dramatically at the group of children, who shrieked in laughter and scattered about, pretending to be blown away by the imaginary wind. "Whoo-oo-oo-sh!"

Tia giggled along with them, feigning admiration and reverence for the 'Windcaster'. She bowed along with the kids and mimicked being bowled over by the sound of wind coming from his mouth. They ran about, squealing, fleeing as the boy waved the Caster's staff, chuckling in delight.

It was a big relief to be able to guffaw and squawk, to participate in fun and games and to forget about what had been happening in the past week. She could feel a whole load off her chest as she ran, shouted, and giggled with the younger ones in the town. The group grew bigger and soon there were about forty kids running about, screaming with mirth as Tia brought the Wind in and snaked it around each child, tickling them and ruffling their hair. They tried to chase the dust the Wind blew up, shouting and bumping into one another, determination on their little pinched faces.

It wasn't much, but Tia was glad that she could help bring amusement and joy to these impoverished people, even for a few fleeting moments.

The sun began to set and the group began to trickle away. The last to go was the little boy who had pretended to be a Windcaster. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes bright. He was still panting from the running and laughing, his small bony shoulders heaving up and down. He toddled forward and held out his hand.

She knelt to his height again, the smile on her face mirroring his as she gripped his hand in a handshake.

"I hope you had fun today." She knew he couldn't understand her language, but there was no need. He nodded, grinning and showing gaps in his teeth.