Theurgy: The Journey's Dawn (Book One)

Chapter 47 Intentions

The foggy abyss was before them, growing in size as the sun wavered towards the horizon. Small pelts of water fell from above its the night was obscured by a thick veil of clouds. She called them forth to settle for the night as she cleared a path from the road to the cave using her sword, now shaped more like a saber. Gray was grateful to find something over his head as the rain was beginning to grow heavier. Though, he often seemed pleased to be around water. The cart fits well enough in the cave, and Celia had the wonderful idea of moving a tree in the way so that if something came, it would think its cave had been compromised. She lifted her hands towards one of the shorter ones, but as soon as she did so, veins of green light crawled up her arms once more, and she winced in pain. Elena stopped her, gently pulling her arms away.

"Mrs. Opal," she said. "I believe that Makyra had warned that using your powers will be a danger for you now. You can barely dress, much less perform these feats."

"I know," she said in frustration. "I just wanted . . . to see, I guess."

"Well, you can at least leave the heavy loading to us," Gray unsheathed his saber and moved towards the tree she gestured to. The water hitting the inscribed runes made them light up in a soft sea green light. "That's why we are here, no?"

"Fine, she said, returning to the cave while Gray took up his sword. As aura was poured into it, he swung with all his might. Like a knife through the air, the blade sliced the tree at an odd angle, allowing it to tumble and fall against the cave with a loud crash, throwing stray branches and leaves about in the rain. Elena took the time to make a small fire and prepare the rations they had to be cooked. Celia briefly checked on Massia, who now laid in the carriage's seats. Elena could see a lot of Celia in Massia. Lyse may have inherited their lightly colored hair and eyes, but it was clear that Lyse may take more from his father than his mother in other areas. Celia gave her a small kiss on the forehead before returning to sit on the fire, pulling her knees beneath herself.

"You have a beautiful daughter," Elena said to her.

"Thank you," Celia said.

"If I may ask, if I'm at all intrusive, but what was it like raising the three of them?" Elena stirred the fire with stray sticks she found around the cave.

"Is motherly livelihood of interest of you?" Celia raised a brow.

"Not really," she admitted. "I ask more on what Lyse's relationship to his sister was growing up."

Celia sighed lightly. "I guess to pass the time. They were curious cats, as you can imagine. Lyse was the sharpest tack in the shed, and Edlund followed his lead most often, though when it came to mischief, Edlund always finds himself the culprit. But those two are practically inseparable. They are brothers, after all. So when Massia came to the age, she too began to follow around Lyse, though in a more taciturn approach."

"He is quite impressionable," Elena said. "I have older sisters, but instead of politics, I took up the sword and shield. I don't do well following someone else's path, I must say."

"Well, Lyse can surely bring you to his way of thinking quite quickly," Celia said. "I do not blame you coming all this way simply to help us. Just like his father, he has a good sense of justice."

"Lyse. . . does not talk about his father as often."

Celia stayed a little quiet for a few moments. "I will not pretend to understand my son to his fullest. His relationship with his father has always puzzled me. A balance of admiration and confusion. He is a smart lad; no doubt he questions why his father insisted on staying in the quiet life of a farmer despite his ability he so poorly hides."

Gray stumbled in under the tree. He did a well enough job hiding the entrance with loose brush and other foliage. One would think that a stray storm had come across and ravaged the forest a bit. Though, in the process, he was now soaked head to toe in rainwater. He sheathed his saber at his side and unbuckled his belt to sit on the cave floor, throwing his cloak off to dry off.