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Expedition with Mom – Finding the Crippling Miasma Tome – 1523 words




Raemos lay in his bed, almost bouncing in his enthusiasm. He couldn't wait to begin the letter to his sister! His hand, holding the pen, shook with uncontrollable excitement at all the events he was to tell her about. It was so bad that he had to steady it with his other hand, not wanting to waste ink and paper on spills.


Dear Vona,
I have a question for you. Did mother ever take you on adventures when you were little?

Rae had never asked his mother, and had just assumed that Vona had never gone on an adventure. She was not a fighter or an explorer and it was very dangerous out there.

I ask because I've just returned home from the most remarkable trip! Mother left the ranch in Father's hands and we traveled to an old, abandoned place in the desert - I think it used to be a town. It had since been swallowed up by the sands. The desert is such a powerful place, Vona. You must miss it so much, even surrounded by wonders as you are in the city!

It had been quite a sight. They had traveled by kargoth, his mother not wanting to leave him far behind (or tire herself out) with flight. The desert was a spectacular place, especially since they were travelling to a part of it that was unfamiliar to Rae. His mother had scouted it, though, had gotten intrigued by the place, and had decided to investigate, true to her archaeologist roots.

It was a town with simple buildings peering out from the dunes and desert grasses. Long abandoned, only the winds of the desert echoed in the silent and sandy streets. The buildings were in good condition -- preserved by the shifting sands. Raemos had been intrigued - his mother had told him stories of her explorations and discoveries from before Vona was born. Now, he had a chance to live those stories, and tell his own.

We set up a base camp in a temple among rotted tapestries and scorched walls. Mother said it was structurally sound and would protect us - and any artifacts - from sandstorms. She pointed to a bunch of symbols and said it was a temple to Abronaxus, and that it was likely a Dovaa village, eaten by time and the harsh desert...

They had found a well, mostly sand-clogged and partially dry, but enough to sustain them for a short visit. It had taken some work to uncover it and make it usable, but Raemos was no stranger to hard work, and his mother's enthusiasm was infectious.

I think Mother had gone too long without doing what she loved, Vona. She was so happy to be out here. It makes me wonder. Who had the idea for the ranch? Why did they not move to Serenia and farm there instead? Either way, I have never seen Mother so energetic, and you know how she is usually!

They had set up all the equipment that day, and taken an early night, wrapping themselves in blankets against the chill desert air. Raemos had had trouble sleeping from the excitement, but had still woken up to breakfast in the morning bright eyed (figuratively) and bushy tailed (also figuratively). They had eaten, and set out to explore the ruined village. The streets were simple - a main street and a few side streets - and the village was a small one. No building was more than a thirty minute walk from the well. Still, it looked like it had been a healthy place. He had wondered what could have caused the place to be abandoned.

It seemed like a nice place, but when I asked mother why it might be abandoned, she just smiled. One of her be-creative moods, I guess! She told me, “That’s the fun part!”
I guess she meant figuring it out. I rather think she was right!

It had been fun, spending those days with her, piecing together people's lives from what was left behind. They had found houses and all sorts of trinkets and nicknacks, the detritus of life itself. There hadn't been many important things left behind - and no bodies outside of the tiny graveyard. From this, Rae could deduce that the Dovaa had left of their own accord, not perished. That had been a relief.

They had brought a few of the objects back to the base camp, cleaning them up and inspecting them. Rae hadn't known what to look for, but his mother had pointed out the important parts. The patterns and shapes and their meanings were too complicated for him to understand, but he was fascinated none the less.


We have some things that we'll bring to you on our next visit to Serenia. Don't you know a collector of artifacts? Perhaps you should let them know. We can bring them to him.

It wasn't a 'treasure trove' as mother puts it: we didn't find any gold or gems or hidden long-lost artifacts of forgotten yore, but I think we can at least raise enough money for some new fences! Won't that be nice?

The temple didn't have much, but I was able to make some sketches of the walls! I think you'd like them, Vona. I'll bring my journal with me when I visit.

Clearly, the Dovaa had taken whatever they could salvage from their town. Still, the temple had been Rae's favorite place to be on his resting hours, and some nights he would, in the fire's dim light, trace out the reliefs of dragons in his mind.

We stayed there for three days, excavating sand from a few houses. You wouldn't believe what we found on our last day, though!

They had excavated a house, uncovering a symbol of the Ysali dragon clan symbol -- or so his mother had told him -- and once they had dug out the door and entered, Raemos had been hit with a musty, thick smell.

The other houses had been stripped bare, but not this one. This house was full of dried and dusty herbs. It was dark and brooding, but I think it was once a healer's house, or some kind of Dovaa witch! I think I saw beds and bandages there. Mother had a grand old time - we even found books!

Oh, the books! A whole rickety shelf of them! They'd had to make several trips to bring them all back to camp.

He had been cleaning off the next set of books to bring back as he waited for his mother to return when he had discovered why the place might have been so different from the others. A discoloration in the floor had caught his gaze, a different shadow than the rest of the floor's material. He had investigated, only to find a trap door, leading to a dank basement that smelled of rot and alcohol. Among the barrels of brew and the dusty, cavern-like floor, there were the horned remains of a Dovaa, propped against the wall. Raemos had initially been frightened of the corpse, and had climbed out of the basement as if his pants had been on fire.
Only when his mother returned did he dare to return to the basement. They removed the body, carrying it to the graveyard, and gave it a proper burial. Whoever it was had clearly broken their leg and starved down there.  

Raemos decided not to mention the body in his letter. Why bother his sister with it?


Most of the books were recipe books or teaching books in the Dovaa language - mom is translating them, and she seems happy to have a project. But one was neither!

Vona, you won't believe it, but we found a magical tome! Mother gave it to me, and said it was a dark magic tome, and that it was my project to figure out how to use it.

Raemos looked at the imposing book, now in residence near his dresser.


I don't have any more magical aptitude than I did before, but I do like it! I'll bring it with me on our visit. You said you had a friend with a bookish sister, right? Maybe she would like to take a look too!

Anyway, Vona, I hope you are doing well, and I cannot wait to see you and tell you about this adventure in person.

Your loving brother,
Raemos

He ended the letter with a flourish and folded it carefully into an envelope, dating it, sealing it, and putting it with the sheaf of letters he had to send to Vona. They were out,  wrapped in cord and in plain view, not in their usual place in a box under his bed. The courier was coming tomorrow and Rae did not want to forget to send them. He closed his eyelids and snuggled into his sheets to sleep, still buzzed from the exciting trip.

He would have to go on more expeditions with his mother, that was for certain.

Ashen City - 1427 words

6 year old Raemos had heard about Ashen city from his parents, and had read about it in books, but he was not prepared for the wonders that met his eyes as he stepped out into the main street.
"Wow..." he said, awed beyond his wildest hopes.

Vona took his hand, giggling at his reaction. "You haven't seen anything yet, Rae!" she said gleefully. Things were going perfectly!

She had done it! She had snuck her baby brother into the city! So what if her parents hadn't wanted Raemos to visit her! She did. They didn't need to know a thing about it.

All it had taken was a little cleverness, a separate ticket on a small, unremarkable boat, a disguise, and a story to match. And here he was! Her brother! She had been living in a dorm in Ashen city for several months now, but the city still had the power to awe even her. And if she, the almost jaded Eowyn Frontier girl, could still be awed, she knew her brother would be completely floored. He was going to love it! He already was loving it, and they had just stepped into the city from the docks! The rest of the day was going to be awesome.

Rae's mouth was so wide open, he could have caught passing insects. He gazed upon the grand spires above, and even without color vision and despite the thick goggles that obscured his eyeless sockets, he could see the remarkable architecture around him. He loved the way that the towering buildings of the city seemed to reach for the light. The Orderite citizens danced through the forest of stone like motes on their beautiful, soft wings, as much a part of the architecture as the structural supports inside of them. He wished he could be as beautiful and elegant as them and their whirring, clanking, shining, bustling city. But, of course, he would never be. For the first time in his life, though, he didn't care. He was satisfied to simply weep in awe of the place. With every step, he wanted to fall to his knees and praise Seren's greatness, for surely the goddess was powerful and wonderful to have created such a glorious people and a vibrant citadel.

Vona giggled again at how obviously a tourist her brother was. ”Silly!” she said giving him a playful nudge as she grabbed his bandage-covered hand, "Well, come on then!" she said, tugging at him, "Lets show you around! We need to start early if you want to see everything!"

He moved reluctantly and slowly, as if he was wading through thick mud. The place was simply overwhelming to the young Oblivionite. Eventually, though, he was forced to jog to catch up with her enthusiastic strides- it was that or let his arm be torn off.

As they passed under brilliant banners and vibrant alleys and intricately tiered ledges, Raemos could hardly believe that the place was real. It was so different from the stark expanse of the Malro desert. It different, also, than the patchwork of Tukyere and the oceanic dinginess of Taliuma. He knew, in a 6-year-old way, that he was in love. This city of light and its people were special.

He had very little time to take it all in. There was indeed a lot to see, and Vona bustled him hither and thither in her excitement to show him the city she now called home. She showed him every monument and impressive piece of architecture she could think of, showed him the Citadel of Order in passing, and pulled him away before he could take more than a moment. He would have liked to visit it properly and look inside, but he knew he was lucky to be able to enjoy this city at all. He did wish that, in his rush to pack up a light bag, he had thought to bring his sketchbook. He would just have to commit the wonders to memory and sketch it later.

Finally, they came to a line of shops, some on the ground, some on higher levels. It was here that Vona finally stopped her madcap tour. "Heres where the real fun begins. “ she said, winking, ”You brought money, right Rae?" He nodded, taking the moment she checked her purse to catch his breath.
"Good! Lets go shopping!"

Rae was hard pressed to find something he not only wanted to buy, but could afford. He had saved up the small surplus allowance he got from running errands, and had even sold some of the samples he had taken on some of his adventures around the ranch with Mother. He hadn't wanted to be shortchanged when he got there, because he wanted something small that he could carry with him and put somewhere safe. He wanted something frivolous that would not be worn down from use, something maybe like a figurine or bauble. Whatever it was, it would have to be as beautiful as the city itself, so that he could remember it as clearly as if he was there, even though he probably couldn't afford the fare for a long time.

But everything he saw was either not the sort of thing that he was looking for, or was too expensive. He was enjoying himself, looking around the shops, but had given up hope of finding a suitable souvenir. Finally, though, he found exactly what he sought.
It was a toy, a hand-painted figurine of Aevah Avi, her hands raised up as if to call down the sun. It was beautiful, though it was not unique- there were many others like it, probably to let children play hero games with other figurines. He could see three other figurines sold by the store, obviously part of a set -- an orderite mage, scepter in hand and wings out -- a fierce looking dragon, it's stature proud and deadly – and a horrible bent creature.

He looked closer and flinched. It was eyeless and goblinoid, a repulsive expression of the purest evil on its twisted face. An Oblivionite -- the villain in the set of heroes. It hurt him to see that, in a deep place he hadn't known could be hurt. He shuddered, shaking off the feeling, and turned back to the Aevah figurines.

It was beautiful. It was - comparatively - inexpensive. And he wanted it. So he bought it, and, as his sister took him to her dorm, he turned it over and over in his hands, smiling to himself.

Vona knew that Raemos couldn't stay long if they wanted their ruse to remain undiscovered by their parents. He was leaving for Eowyn later that night. She wanted him to meet her friends beforehand, and she knew they would be all over Raemos. She had talked their ears off about her adorable and hilarious baby brother and all the trouble they had gotten into when she was younger (mostly her fault). She was looking forward to introducing him to them. So, it was with a big, anticipatory grin that she opened the door to her room and ushered Raemos inside.

Neither sibling expected to see their parents at the room. Her dorm-mates were gone, out in the town. They had been bribed by some small spending money to leave the room free for her parents to give her a birthday party and presents in private. Their parents were not expecting Raemos to follow her through the door, and their ready expressions of delight at their daughter turned quickly into horrified dread.

Raemos didn't know why his mother had rushed him out of the door and onto an earlier boat to Eowyn, nor did he understand why his parents had seemed so panicked. His goggled gaze met Vona's beautiful and clear eyes as they left, and he knew she was as confused as he.

That night, on the ship back with his mother, Rae lay on the hard cot, the afterimages of the beautiful city still playing out in his mind. He wondered why things had ended so strangely and abruptly. His mother had said she would tell him in the morning, and had seemed very tired. He hadn't pressed further. Raemos was worried about her. He had never seen her look so sick and tired before. He thought about writing in his journal, but remembered that he had forgotten it back at the ranch. He committed the trip to memory, resolving to let it all spill onto the page when he arrived home.

I had an... interesting... day today.

Vona had left a package with the dockhands for us to deliver on our way to her friend's country home – some clothes for a Maeron Aredan that had been ordered from the tailor she is apprenticing under. I told Mother and Father that I could do this alone – I wanted to show them that I was growing up strong, like they wanted me to. Mother was worried, but I was sure I could handle it. I wanted Father to think of me as a strong and capable son, not as the barely-useful runt I know he considers me to be. I thought I did not need hand holding anymore – I am nearing 12 summers, after all.

Perhaps I don't need hand holding, but I was also not prepared to face a hoarde of enormous dragons. They ambushed me as I was walking along the road. Their wings shone in the light and they had hundreds of teeth and claws the size of my arm and they smelled like... it's hard to describe. The dragons smelled like summer breezes and warm sunlight on the face. The soul orbs that came from them feel the same way; warm and soothing but... disconcerting, almost. Very hard to describe, indeed.
Well, maybe less than hundreds of teeth. Anyway.

I would surely have died in an instant if a massive feathered drakein – I think it was a drakein? – hadn't come and shielded me from the dragon's jaws. They conversed – I think they conversed? Can dragons be spoken to? It is the only way I can explain the roaring back and forth. I was very shaken, however. My memory is... blurred. I have never been as scared as I was then. The great dragon wished to take my life, and I could see, wheeling in the sky, two others. So many. So huge. Just a single tap of their mighty claws could have killed me, easily.

The drakein began to do battle, but I think that she had about as much chance as I did. I tried to help her, but I was too weak – I did little more than get in the way. Fortunately, help arrived in the form of a drakein, an orderite, and a... strange creature? It looked like a dovaa, but it was scalier and bore strange crystals on it's head. It had a tail, and claws, and I thought I saw shimmering wings behind it. It was powerfully magical: the ground obeyed its bidding and became weapons of earth and stone. Gaili magic, I think? I would have appreciated it more, had waves of ground (the ground can make waves apparently) not shoved me away from certain death. I admit, charging the downed dragon was foolish, but my pale-feathered savior hadn't seen it! It would have killed her! I couldn't let that happen. Not that I did much, but I did distract it... I'd like to think I distracted it.

I saw the orderite fall, and since I could do little to help with the dragons and the fighting, I went to see if he was all right. He was, though I wonder why he did not use his wings? He is not a freak like me, though. He had an amazing sword, and when we were attacked by hidden dragonic attackers... Oh, he was amazing. He and the other drakein (it used Ice magic so... Aiskala?) fought so perfectly together it was like a dance. No... it was poetry, the way he leapt from it's back, the way he used his unique sword to slay the dragon, the way he looked as it disintegrated away... I want to be like him. He said he would teach me some tricks with the sword, and I can't wait.

I'm staying with him for the time being – he lives in a small house in the woods. I was very tired when he brought me here – I am writing this in the middle of the night. One of my odd waking periods, the sort I get in new places after hard travel. I don't feel like taking a walk though, but I couldn't go back to sleep without recording the day in my journal, could I?!

Which leads me to another exciting thing! I was very tired because I used magic. The tome Mother and I found months ago was on me and, since I was not capable of much else, I gave it a try. When I said the magic words, it spewed an eerie fog that held back the dragon's movements and, I think, helped the fight. I cast it twice, and I have never used magic before. Magic is draining. I felt as though all my strength had left me. I was barely able to walk with assistance, and would have collapsed where I stood if Maeron had not helped me.

Now, though, I can feel something growing inside me – a power that, maybe, was always there, waiting for the tome to tap into it. Magic... its an exciting prospect. Father always said that magic was a good skill to fall upon when swords failed. I had thought that even that was denied me, that I was doomed to enjoy studying something I could not partake in. But no. I can do magic. It is a relief.

One moment... Maeron... Aredan... Goodness! Hes the recipient of the package!

This cannot be a coincidence. My sister's errand would not just happen to coincide with a random person I met on the road. This must be fate.

We were fated to meet and, so, I was fated to learn from his vast wisdom and skill. I declare him my mentor... I think thats how this works?

I want him to like me. I want him to teach me everything.

I hope he likes me.

I really hope he likes me.

Mallew limped from an injury in his leg as Raemos helped him away from the battle site, moving as briskly as possible towards the house. Mallew moved as a man asleep, stirring only when the comfortable little house was within view. But the man was silent for the rest of the day, and Raemos didn't know if he was still proud of him or not...

Dear Vona;
I'm sorry to have missed you this afternoon: I understand that business called you away, and I wish you luck on your new commission. I hope they appreciate your work.

Thank you for helping me this morning. I know it was all for naught, and I sad a few things, but I really do appreciate you helping me.

Or Borgnah hunt went as well as could be expected. We did catch them: there were two, though, twice the menace we were expecting. They were, however, dispatched with haste.

However, we had an encounter with a Khehora. The Khehora (I think it was an Aedaun, Vona) was being chased, I think, by the Borgnah and assisted us in killing them. Father tried to run it off, but it took offense to him and attacked. He was protecting me, Vona. I think he was protecting me. If he was, then I nearly got him and a beautiful feathered beast killed needlessly. I don't think it would have attacked if he hadn't struck out pre-emptively... But who is to say? Khehora are, after all, wild animals.

I couldn't let either be killed. I don't know how father feels about me using a spell to disable both of them, but... Vona... He said he was proud of me. He said I had skill. He said I was smart. He praised me, openly and overtly. Is something happening that I don't know about? Is something wrong? Or have I just been blind as well as hideous, and have failed to see our father as anything other than a harsh monolith of severity?

Anyway, Vona, I wish I could have spent tonight and tomorrow with you, playing games and gossiping by the fire, but your duties call, and soon I will be off to Ayr with Maeron. Hopefully, you can join us in Ayr for the stargazing. I'd like that. Maybe you could meet Maeron! He's probably a better catch than those boys in the city. Who is the current one? Ah well, You can tell me at the Starfall festival.

You'r loving brother,
Raemos

The Treasures of the Beginner

Raemos laid out his new haul of items on his bed, looking over it with barely controlled delight. He was a little wary of showing the whole stash to his father - he wasn't supposed to have spent as much as he did - but Sonia had told him she would take care of it. He wasn't sure what she meant by that, but he had confidence in his mother to handle anything from a grumpy kugel to a hungry khehora. Somehow, she would manage Father.

In the meantime, though, he went through his new treasures:

Quills and ink, astral and blood both, for enchanting items. He hadn't thought he'd want to do enchanting, but when he'd looked at the quills, he'd realized he'd wanted to give it a try. After all, he liked writing and magic, and from what his mother had told him about enchanting, it would be a perfect melding of the two. He set them aside, wrapping the ink and quills in the cloth they had come in. He'd move them to his desk later.

He spread out the pile of magic books and looked them over. They were basic, but he only needed basic now, having no magical training. Besides, he was a swordsman. He needed to focus on sword training. He had a basic magic primer, a basic enchantment book to get him started on enchanting items, a levitation magic tome, a 'Candleight' tome, and a basic conjuration tome. Raemos was excited to begin studying them and learning their secrets.

He wondered if it would take as much study as his other tome - the Dark Miasma tome. Probably not! That one was far more advanced, he thought, than these basic learning tomes. He put them all back into their pile and brought them to his bookcase, putting them away with careful organization. With some hesitation, he took the enchantment book out again and set it on the desk. He brought over the pens and inks and arranged them neatly, right next to his Aevah figurine and his sketchbook/journal.

He might as well try out his new toys.