World Leapers Book I: The Forest

The Four Warriors

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Terran sniffed. Wisp's hut smelled just as he remembered it: the aromatic scent of fresh herbs, pine and lavender blended with the salty odor of the Charbydian sea and the musky, natural smell of an old woman. Terran sat on a small wooden chair at the table in the center of the room, with Aria on his right, Enya on his left and River sitting on the chair across from him. River was tossing Falkum from hand to hand as his weary eyes focused on the tiny flickering candle in the center of the table. Terran stared at his own reflection shimmering from the surface of the orange orb, then frowned, quietly thinking of his bow Ignicio now lay abandoned in a pile of burnt rubble in the meadow.  

In the kitchen nearby, fumbling through her cupboard for cups and fresh water, Wisp stood under the paper bags full of herbs and spices, her back to the table. Tink was leaning against the cabinets near Wisp and staring across the room at Athilda who, after letting them all into the hut and helping remove the chains from their legs, now stood guard with her back to the door, her knife still grasped in her hand.

Standing beside the table and just above Terran's shoulder was the Master, who was reciting from the thick brown book he held in front of him. Terran's mind shifted away from Ignicio and back to the Master's words.

"Circled round and touching flesh,

The elements unite,

Calling forth the heaven's wrath,

To quench the evil's might."

The Master leaned forward over the table. "The words of Natin, who foresaw the dark times and very predicament in which we now find ourselves, and who also foretold hope–"

From the kitchen, Wisp paused her searching and interrupted. "–hope that water, earth, air and fire would blend n' combine for elemental power, a force t' be reckoned with. Ah! Here 'tis."

She reached under the counter and pulled out a tall glass mason jar filled to the brim with a white, cloudy water. At the bottom of the jar was a small pile of reddish-pink square stones. Hugging the jar to her chest with both hands, she brought it to the table, and set it in the center of the table, smiling proudly.

From across the room, Tink beamed. "Earthwater! A rare sight in this age!"

Terran raised an eyebrow. "Earthwater?"

"At the bottom of the jar are mineral rich rocks from deep in the Charbydian sea, harvested and brought to the surface by Seafarers lucky enough to have nets sufficiently long to fetch the precious stones."

The Master reached forward, picked up the jar of water and stones, and held it up to the candlelight, revealing countless tiny particles floating in the water. "The rocks are broken apart with hammers to release their healing elements, then dissolved for fortnight upon fortnight in pure mountain spring water. Bring us drinking vessels, Wisp, and if a morsel remains anywhere, bread! Prepare to be nourished and refreshed, my companions."

Before the Master had finished speaking, he placed the jar of earthwater back on the table. Wisp produced nine wooden mugs from the cupboard and brought them to the table. She set them next to the jar, along with a small brown paper package wrapped with white string. "Balenga. Any camellia oil left to anoint our humble sustenance, Tink?"