Algernon Black

(Chapter 5) The Calm that Brings the Storm

Lucy showered before her brother, scrubbing away layers of dirt and sweat. And when she came out of the en suite there was a dress of emerald green with threads of gold laid on the bed. Jared said someone had dropped it off but spoke warnings about accepting gifts as he choose to wear only the comfiest parts of the suit they offered him. Lucy, however, was too enchanted by the beauty of the ethereal green fabric to heed any advice and went back into the bathroom with it clutched between her hands.

With his time alone, Jared brought forth one of his only forever kept objects, a pen made of writing stones that allowed him to correspond with his longest kept friend. And this letter began with a thanks for his help in landing him this job and yet another refusal when he pressed Jared to let his sister begin her education in Attwood. The offer was something only the most elite in the world were ever extended and any parent would be doing backflips of joys to know their child had the chance to become alums. But Jared knew risk were involved with that school, and the dangers that came from the curriculum surrounding the mastering of the four visceral magics were nothing compared to what the nobles of that place may think to use his sister for in their twisted agendas. 

Lucy came out once again, dressed in the gifted gown just as Jared set aflame his note to be sent out.

"Are you writing to your friend again?" She asked. There was only one person she knew her brother stayed in contact with, an old friend with who he exchanged letters with quite often.

"Yes," Jared answered, turning to her.

"And, wow," He immediately exclaimed, upon seeing her. "Are you really the same big-toothed sister I've raised for the last ten years?" He affectionately teased as he saw just how much Lucy had grown into a beautiful young lady over their decade of travel. 

"They were only so big because I hadn't grown into them," Lucy replied dryly to her brother's teasing.

"Sometimes I wish you never did," Jared half-heartedly stated. "It might discourage at least some of the more forward men."

Lucy smiled, although she looked at herself in the corner vanity's mirror and questioned her beauty. She wondered if she was pretty enough to render the attention of men, but from what she could deduce with her very limited about of exposure from any it was not the attention women struggle with getting from men, but what comes with it.

Jared walked over to the open window once a distant sound of thunder drew his attention to it. "By the last good king, the weather is absolutely atrocious," His hand rested on his hip in utter bewilderment. "Completely different from when we started our adventure today."

"Jared?" Lucy asked, as something about the way he was standing reminded her of the conversation they had with Rasmus from earlier.

"Yes." He answered, turning to look at his sister with open eyes.

"What were those artifacts you were referring to?" Lucy asked delicately. Jared sometimes soured when she asked questions related to their homeland and she was never certain what would set him off.

"Why do you ask?" Jared replied, his face turning to stone. Lucy knew that this would be one of those times.

"It was just something you've never brought up before," Lucy said sadly. "Sorry for asking."

Jared signed feeling bad about lashing out and figured an answer would be his apology. "Back on the side of the world we're from, there are a set of nine weapons that are unlike any other weapons in the world. The ancient artifacts of known as they've come to be called. Old enough to have existed during the age of vessels and still holding power from that time as each possesses a unique ability along with being indestructible." Jared wondered how much he should divulge, but Lucy's childlike fascination made him bury his concerns, knowing this much amount of information was probably not dangerous. "It's said that even one of these artifacts is as powerful as 1,000 men and in the right hands they can rival the power of the gods."