The Elementals: Return Of Creation

Chapter 2: Growth

 He looked back to check if he was right. The red of his face nearly bleached. There they were again, a pair of yellow eyes sitting on a white face, peeking out from a tree.

 Every time he blinked, the eyes moved to a different tree, catching up to him.

 For a moment he could have sworn the eyes were looking straight into his own, piercing his mind. His heart was leaping, ready to blast out from his chest.

 He looked dead ahead, completely focusing on getting back.

 It wasn't long before a familiar tower was in sight. He dashed to the doors, deciding to look back again as his hands gripped the door's handles tight, hurting his fingers.

 To his relief, he only saw a flock of peytiers flying away and what looked like a bat or a black owl gliding over the treetops. He huffed, feeling his heart beating fast from the rush. A chuckle and headshake later it all faded to the back of his mind. "That was exciting wasn't it,"

 He had been gone for a total of twenty minutes, telling from the entire feast ready on the wide dining table. A basket of garlic bread sorted like a slope, a platter of sausages decorated in a circle, the air sweetened by what smelled like the sauce of Povious' roasted lamb, and a pie complimented by four blueberries on top. Jack licked his lips. His stomach suddenly growled.

 Nym walked out from the kitchen carrying a stack of five plates and sets of silverware. Jack thought she was about to fling it all in the air when she saw him, but only took a small step back, then smiled warmly and greeted him again, "Welcome back, Jack,"

 "Hey again Nym," he said, walking to the bathroom on the other side of the frater. The delectable smell had even covered the usual fresh forest scent the wooden room usually had. He quickly dumped his dirty clothes in the now empty laundry basket, returned the bar of soap, and came back to Nym. "Sorry," he barely saw but could tell Nym winced, "Anyway- I think Povious out did himself,"

 "Oh indeed," Nym confirmed, laying down the plates and cutlery. "Well- with your birthday coming up and all, he's quite excited.

 Jack saw her overfixating the position of a spoon. "And....tomorrow...."

 "Tomorrow?" Jack inquired. Nym didn't say the last bit of her sentence as loud, which over the years Jack came to learn meant she had something on the tip of her tongue, but couldn't bring it up. So, he pushed on, "What's going on tomorrow?"

 "Well-" she coughed, her green eyes shooting around. Her fingers curled back when it became obvious to her that she had tended to the same spoon for too long. "I do hope you would not mind- visiting sir Nimbulus tomorrow- for a fitting.... for the ceremony..."

 Jack stood by his chair, still confused. "I've got decent clothes, I don't really need any new ones,"

 "Yes- well- these need to be made...specifically for the ceremony,"

 "I don't think Master Trode would care what I wear," Nym flinched when he mentioned Trode. "He never did,"

 "Well-" she sighed. "M-master Trode- himself- requested that we did many years ago-"

 "What?" Jack's red brows met. "Why?"

 "As I said- the ceremony," her lips flattened. "I wouldn't ask if it weren't absolutely necessary...Jack..we have already made reservations with sir Nimbulus- if it is too much, we could rearrange it..somehow..,"

 Jack sighed with a small grimace. Fashion wasn't an aspect he was very fond of, or understood for that matter. The spruceness of his appearance was of almost no bother to him. Though he knew full well that having nice clothes would give a good sense of decency and would only be respectful during some situations, in this case he was only going to be coming with Master Trode to train, possibly through various energy draining physical activities, which made fancy new garments seem senseless to wear.

 Although, Sir Nimbus only ever positioned himself in one town, where his main store was located.

 That thought was enough incentive for him to go, as he said, "All right then,"

  Nym nodded and disappeared into the kitchen again.

 Jack sat down and began massaging his temple. Fatigue fully wrapped him, mind and body. His back hunched weak as he rested on his elbows.

 It couldn't have just been from logging; he often helped Povious, and even though he did manage to collect more than usual, it wasn't too much.

 Before that all he did was read in the library, scribble a few sketch drawings in his room, and nap on a branch not too far from the monastery, since his bed was too warm for that.

 That would only leave the eyes. The bright, stabbing, yellow eyes that chased him home. No matter how much he wanted to believe it, he knew they didn't belong to a simmickatta. They were far too frightening...

 Povious walked out of the kitchen, now wearing an apron and long sleeved greys. In his bare hands was a steaming bowl of red soup, complete with carrots, chicken, peas, and some additional sausages.

 Jack immediately threw the yellow eyes far in the back of his mind, his lips smacking with a smirk.

 A bell rang loudly behind him, followed by Nym's chirpy call to the others, "Dinner!"