Theurgy: The Journey's Dawn (Book One)

Chapter 30 The Harbor

"Again, you need not apologize," she told him. "I'm just glad to be there for you. I just want you to be there for us all."

He nodded, taking a sharp inhale to then look at the spirits dancing above. "Can I ask you something, Elena? What if you were told to do something that you know you cant do? Logically it was impossible."

She raised a brow. "Nothing in this world is impossible. Even the most skeptical of a mage would tell you that."

"But I mean utterly impossible," he said. "Impossible, and there are people out there that are promised to have some answer you don't have. A power that you lack."

"Well then, I must find those people."

"And if they don't have the answer, if they don't have the power, either?"

She gave him a confused look. "What are you on about, Lyse."

He gave her a sad chuckle. "I am but a little hero told to do the impossible. I will save my sister. I will avenge my father. But I don't know how I'm going to. That is something I have yet to find the answer to. How do I win."

She gave a considerable glance to him and thought inwardly. It was a type of question some wisened man would muster to young men and women preparing for battle. And Lyse n doubts feels the pressure upon him. If it's an answer, a plan, she can not answer him. It is not her place to answer him. That is for him to discover. So that must be her answer.

"Find out the strength of your enemy," he said."Know your limits and theirs. Know the environment. And most importantly, know your resolve. That is what you have to do."

(X)

The days that followed were those spent looking upon the horizon, and planning. Koraki fastened its way to the horizon that grew further and further back. The lands of hills that were turning to the autumn times seemed to shake off this natural transformation and keep its healthy glow. The spirits became more prevalent, wind spirits more often than not that materialize to curiously circle their craft. Lyse suspected that it must be the magic the man was using to move faster. There were others. River spirits and nymphs sat on the riverbed, watching them carefully. The nymphs all looked like beautiful young women, some with odd colored skins usually in compliment to the river's natural hues. Gray called out to them with pleasant remarks, which were not returned very well. A jet of water was sent at his face as they passed, and he stayed away from the edge after that. What they were really looking out for were beasts that could attack. Every now and again, a murder of crows would be seen on the horizon far off. Every time they snuffed out every open flame and hunkered below until they were no longer in sight. None came very close, but having an entire murder descend upon you on a wooden craft would prove to be anyone's undoing. Lyse took note of all that he saw. It was his first time seeing nymphs with his own eyes. The river that crossed just ten miles north of his home lacked any for some mysterious reason or another. He may spot a dryad now and again, but they were few and far between in the Forest of silence. Edlund never even knew this many can gather at all. He enjoyed having this sense of adventure as if bringing back some innocence of simpler times.

Celia, as she looked around, could only see potential enemies. Threats. No doubt the others saw this, but the aura she cast reflected far more in her demeanor, mostly staying huddled in some corner, diligently looking upon the river as if it'll allow them to move faster by her will alone, only to return to her bed with stiff movements. She progressively got much better from her condition, Lyse almost constantly pestering her with questions, which she had to convince him were genuine. All the while she continued to teach him more things, more of what the pendant can do. Among them, in these lessons, was the ability to summon grape Vines of all things. Lyse was confused, just as much as Celia was, but she explained to him that the God Dionysus was also a god of wine. Couple this with his ability to manipulate plants and she gestures that he can be quite versatile in his fighting. He can also cast this drunkenness to others, completely breaking their mind from focus to confuse them. And a step further was madness. This his mother went over rather lightly. It was a permanent wound on the mind, an almost unrecoverable loss of anyone's senses. She used it herself only once on the man known as Thanatos, and the results spoke for themselves. Lyse kept a good note on that.