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"I haven't decided," he admitted. He tried to find more to say on the topic, but failed at words.
"I don't want to be a burden. I can feel energy growing in my legs. It'll be a few minutes before I can move again. You can go ahead." He was truly surprised. Why was recovery so difficult? |
"You wouldn't be a burden, Melacio. Don't worry about that.
...I think you should, Melacio. It may not seem like it, but they'll accept you in a way they won't in the outside world. Sure, they'll use you, but they'll also give you the freedom you wanted. Their own tasks are only ... payment for being allowed to live amongst us." Emma glanced over to the door briefly as the handle began to click. Her time was up now that Melacio had given her permission to go. She stared at the alchemist for a long moment before slowly standing and letting Tavri take her by the arm. It was then she finally looked up at the man, taking in the new scars he'd acquired after his betrayal, and the expression his face held around her. She knew he didn't particularly want to put her back int hat cell, but it was the rule of the Tribe, and the will of Kadan that she be held until they could be sure she would be loyal and of use to them again. They were gone and Melacio was left in the room alone to get up and make it to his room on his own. However, when Tavri was finished returning Emma to her cell, he did stop by the room again to see if Melacio was still there or if he had actually gotten himself back to his room on his own. |
The white chalk had been blackened by his energy. Melacio ran his hand through the drawing, destroying the magic circle. There were tales of hapless wanderers who happened to cross over a fully formed, abandoned transmutation circle and faced terrible fates. These consequences were not well documented or well known. Just like the craft.
His hands would not be still. The trembling was present, but not as strong as it was previously. There was a bit of fear in him. Perhaps there was a dark secret about alchemy that made it so notorious. And here he was, playing with the devil's deeds. Energy was not coursing through his body as quickly as he told her. He still sat beside the mound of black chalk. |
Tavri stepped into the room slowly, and with a moment's hesitance he stepped forward and approached the alchemist. "I'll help you to your room, Melacio. Do you need anything else?" He asked as he went to help the man to his feet, ready to support him as much as the smaller man needed.
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Melacio shook his head, the most motion he managed beyond speech and moving his hands slowly to destroy the transmutation circle. "Nothing else. I would just like to go to sleep now." The muscles in his legs remained frozen, leaving him a motionless marionette whose movement were reliant on his master.
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When Tavri realized that Melacio could not use his body much at all, he grunted and sighed. The man knelt down and hoisted the alchemist into his arms to carry him out of the room and back to the living quarters they had given him. In there, he set Melacio in the bed gently, moving to pull his shoes off and tug the blanket up over him. "I'll check on you come breakfast. Hopefully your strength has returned to you by then." He said, turning to leave, planning on returning to fetch his son, speak with is father and perhaps even return to bed before the bell run through the city for breakfast.
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As the bell rang in the morning, Melacio remained asleep and unmoving. Sunlight, the noise of the awakening Tribe members, and the movement in the city...nothing disturbed him. The tremor in his hands was gone. He slept to regain everything he lost.
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As promised, Tavri was there in the morning. He went to Melacio's bedside and shook his shoulder gently, then a little harder before he gave up with a heavy sigh, Enver in his other arm, playing with some blond hair within his reach. When Melacio wouldn't wake, he turned and left for breakfast, and when it was over, he brought a tray of food for Melacio to eat when he woke, setting it upon the table beside it.
That morning, Emma had requested that despite Melacio's warning, they start her training in a few days. It would be stopped if the strain effected her sight at all, of course. He was anxious for it all--to have Emma living with Enver and he, it was just... it would be a lot like old times. Even if those times hadn't been so long ago. |
Aidan watched as Danny slept, bunched up under the only blanket he had packed. He hadn't dared to start a fire. With the Arcane so close, the possibility of being sensed would be dropped if they were without one. The air was chilled by their presence and the fire mage could see their breaths clouding from their lips. He sighed and pulled the blanket higher on the little boy, tucking it over and around his head.
His nephew was a handsome creature. Completely innocent looking as he slept. He had seen the little girls of the court giggling at him. But none would come near him, knowing of his fiery temperament. While his family, whoever they were, was not of anyone of importance, some of the lords attempted to arrange their second or third daughters with the little boy. The king's beloved mage could aid their quest in becoming closer to the crown, they hoped. But King Aviar said nothing. The past three weeks had not gone as Aidan wanted. He was partially hindered by Danny being there. The battles he fought constantly left him overwhelmed by the enemy. Every time he thought he handled a group of fifty Arcane, bringing them to his mercy, three or four times the amount would show up. To not endanger the little boy, he often swiped the protesting little boy up and took off. Not once had he seen Arturo. But he had seen the frozen mages, assembled together like trophies. They served as warnings too. Fail to win the battle, and you'll join them. Their forms were maintained by the former water mage, suggesting that defeating him would allow them to regain their former selves. The Arcane he defeated and attempted to capture never gave him answers. All he needed was Arturo! He had to speak to him! His fists clenched as he felt the frustration build. That woman Emma had spoken of...he would make sure he took care of her... |
Emma sat silently in her cell, and she would for almost a week before she'd convinced them that she was fine. It felt so much longer when she could see everything around her, forced to stare off at various things, it was no longer dark in her world. She was tired of sitting restlessly in that cell, with nothing but the old, bloody mattress and an equally displeasing blanket to cover her naked figure.
Tavri was the one to return and lead her out the first day of training. She was ready for it, but not particularly looking forward to it. She was not in the same shape she'd been previous to Enver's birth, the training would be harsher on her body as they built back her muscles and worked away any weight she had gained during and even after the child's birth. Emma disappeared then, she wouldn't see anyone but those training her--special members of the Tribe, trusted, skilled teachers. They would break her and rebuild her just as they had in the past. It was easy because Emma was willing, but it still took time. Usually she would have fought and struggled to keep them from winning, but Enver was at stake now. The child was dangled before her; she could not see him, hold him, anything until her training was finished. It only made her work harder. It was nearly a year later that Emma was finally released from the main hall, dressed in her assassin's clothing, her eyes cold and body stiff. Tavri met her in the street with Enver, and her expression softened notably then as she was finally able to hold the boy in her arms. He remembered her smell and feel, and his arms wrapped around her neck as he rested his head into her body. He'd begun to speak, but he was quiet right now, a little shy because his memories of her were few and faded. He was still young enough to adjust to her again however, and he understood who she was. Her hair was still long, held back in a tight braid, slung over her shoulder. It exposed her shoulder blades and the silvery scars, both old and new, that painted her already pale flesh, slicing through the speckled freckles that bathed her skin as well. Emma was slender and small, but very strong and quite muscled for such a small framed girl. She was different now though. She had no desire to leave or run away with Enver. Emma was oddly content amongst her people again. Aidan was not forgotten, but she was so tired of running away only to be recaptured, locked away, and beat into submission. For now, she would not attempt to escape. It might be better this way, Enver had begun to show his potential; here they could teach him to control it as he grew and there would not be that same harsh training because he would adjust over the years. It would be good for him, she supposed. He had so much power, it worried her, though she did not express such feelings. That night, Emma sat with them all at dinner, with Tavri and Enver for the first time since her arrival the year before. |
For reasons unknown to him, the Arcane moved on from that location, traveling further north. While Aidan wished them good riddance, just as he feared, Arturo had supposedly gone with them. The beings who sucked all of the life and heat from the land around them allowed warmth to settle in once more. And as the chill vanished, the ice locking each of the captured mages melted away. Time had frozen for them. The last they could recall was being frozen by the now ice mage. Aidan said little to them.
This mission was a failure as long as Arturo was not amongst them. The pushed him to go rather than pursuing the Arcane. Reluctantly, he returned to the castle with them. He would go once Danny was safe with Danielle, he told himself. When he had tried to leave the boy with the other mages, the child exhibited that same demanding presence as previously. The cracked earth reflected his fierce temper. The kingdom celebrated the return of the mages. They were still thrilled over the cursed alchemist's departing so suddenly, not a sign of him anywhere. A few of the nobles bragged that they had played a hand in his assassination. Aidan was concerned with the fact that his disappearance was coupled with Emma's absence. Danielle, as she clutched to her young son, explained to him that the same night Melacio vanished, so had Emma and her son. And so he was torn between retrieving the helpless Emma and the powerful water mage. The court, and the king, ruled for the mages to gather once more to get Arturo back. And Aidan was to lead this group to go after the Arcane. All of his pleas to release him from the leadership position went unheard. As of this moment, he was the highest in command. The group was hastily, but thoroughly, equipped, and sent out the gates of the castle once more. *** Melacio carried his tray over to sit beside Emma. Her presence felt different. "Good evening," he greeted softly. |
Emma blinked at Melacio and offered him a smile. It was different than before, but no less sincere. "Good evening, Melacio." She replied, shifting back to let Enver shift and see Melacio better. He was talkative tonight, but none of it was a bit understandable by any of them. He could say a few words, but a lot of it was a mix of their native tongue and a few common tongue words. He picked up whatever people said around him.
"How do you like it here? It's been almost a year now, hasn't it? You seem to have adjusted well." |
The alchemist nodded.
"Impressing the head of the Tribe was all it took. It wasn't nearly a grand as a task as the one that interested them in me, but it was very well received. I've been able to study and practice freely, which is all I could have wanted," he said with a light chuckle. He offered his hand to little Enver to shake. "Good to see you so lively tonight. Not hungry, Env? Dinner certainly smells nice." |
"That's good. I can't imagine they will call on you often. Knowing Kadan, he wanted you here so you could fix people, like you did me. It's not often we come back crippled, but it does happen and it forces some to retire from what they'd lived all their life doing. It's not easy to accept." She chuckled, watching as Enver grasped Melacio's hand and shook it excitedly.
"Hungry!" He cried happily, but he was just too hyper to actually eat his food. It was his first dinner with his mother, he was far more fascinated by her and his surroundings, and what she was doing in them to eat on his own, though he had a little plate next to hers. "Come now, Enver. You need to eat too, calm down." Emma scolded softly, still smiling a bit though. He settled reluctantly, and with some coaxing he ate strips of chicken from his plate, chewing while he stared at Melacio still, and then up at his mother now and then. |
The alchemist remained in his seat after he had finished his meal. While he was still a lean youth, he was eating more regularly and clearly getting more sleep. The stress of being murdered in his sleep, a common alchemists's fear after several massacres, was lifted a few months after living in the hidden city. Still, he was a heavy studier. After deciding that his physical self could use more working out to handle the extreme amounts of energy the transmutations required, he exercised a little. His antics were perhaps amusing to the well skilled members of the Tribe. He was far too shy with his lack of finesse to ask for assistance. Surely, they were too busy to amuse him...
He was curious what she planned on doing now that she had finished her training and had her son back in her arms. With how she settled in, it didn't look like leaving was anywhere in her mind. His attention went from the mother and son to Tavri. While he didn't express it with the common smile, he could tell he was happy. "I'm going to need new books," he said absently, more to himself. "I'm almost done studying the ones I have." |
Tavri perked at this news and thought about it a moment. "I will tell Kadan then, and I'm sure soon we can find you more." Tavri rubbed his jaw a bit in thought. "Are there... specific books you seek? Or just anything you have not already studied?" It could take time, but he was sure they could slowly bring in new books for Melacio to study.
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"There's a kingdom to the east that boasts about their great library. They're open minded to anything written down. There are a few alchemists who have scribed their knowledge in volumes. I'm beyond certain they would have something I'm looking for," Melacio said almost dreamily. "The Tribe would have no issue about stealing them?"
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Tavri laughed, for the first time in a while around Melacio. "We steal people, I think that we won't mind stealing some books for you." He looked amused as he leaned on the table a bit, rubbing over a little scruff he'd allowed to grow for once. "I will talk to Kadan tonight, and tell him what you've told me. I'm sure we can manage something."
People were slowly starting clear, and Emma handed Enver off to Tavri quietly, smiling as she got up to take their plates. "Tavri, I'll be home in a little bit, I'd like to talk to Melacio for a while. It's been a year, after all." Tavri was hesitant to let her, but he nodded after a moment. She had nowhere to run, there was no harm in allowing her to visit with the young alchemist, and it wasn't like he didn't know where to look for her. |
Melacio assisted Emma, adding Enver's plate to his own, and headed down the long lines of tables to put them away. He had to admit he was excited at the prospect of increasing his own personal library. Certainly other alchemists were no where near as fortunate as he!
"Somehow I still feel like this place is too good to be true. They won't randomly change their mind about me one day and decide to rid themselves of me, will they?" |
It was Emma's turn to laugh now. "No. You would have to anger them first. So long as you do the tasks you're asked of, you should be fine, Melacio." Once the dishes were placed in the bins, she walked along with him. She wanted to go somewhere private to speak, when they could talk about anything they wanted. "Let's go to your room and chat." She suggested after a moment, looking at Melacio quietly now. They could talk quietly there without anyone eavesdropping on them, but they would still have to be careful.
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Melacio did wonder what the leader's son would think about him going to his room with his wife. He opened his mouth to protest, but opted not to. What other options did they have? If she had something to say that was not meant to be said in secret, she would have said it by now.
He closed the door behind her and offered her a seat. "I'm sure you want to keep this short so you can hold your little babe once more." |
"I am eager to return to Enver, but I will be here a while, I am sure. There will be plenty of time regain lost time with him." She replied as she moved to sit down in the offered seat. "I'll be honest and say I didn't really have anything special to talk about. It's just... nice to get out of their sight for a moment. They watched where I went, they know I am not running away, but I am not being stared at." She sighed, rubbing her face a bit. She was still tired from training, but she did not show it much at all.
"I thought about running." She said quietly after a moment, however. "Taking Enver and fighting my way out of here if I had to, but... I am tired of getting away only to be captured. I don't want to put him through that either. If I am meant to go back, Aidan will come for me." She closed her eyes and covered them with a hand, leaning back slowly in the seat. She wasn't crying though, she was just resting, shaking her head a bit after a moment. |
Melacio sat there quietly as he listened to her. When she went silent, he mulled over some statistics. He considered the number of Tribe members that filled the meal hall every day. He knew how many mages there were. He had seen the numbers of children being trained and knew very well that a sizable number would not survive to gain the illustrious title of mage. Many had already died in the previous wars with the Northern Raiders. While he knew the power Aidan had, he also knew the power of mages were not consistent. Some employed deadly forces, but lacked stamina. Others had weak powers, but could last for days, perhaps even weeks of nonstop combat. It was as a united force that made them fierce in small numbers. Could they really combat the large number of Tribe members to rescue Emma and ensure she was left alone?
The determination he had seen in the Tribe made him believe that power alone wasn't enough. They would not stop till they had gotten everything they wanted. Emma and Enver seemed vital to them. "Do not stress over it. Just be happy for what you have presently. What happens...happens." He considered the time that passed and began to wonder if the mage would indeed come for her. |
Emma uncovered her eyes to look at Melacio before she looked away again and sighed. She was trying to not let it get to her, she was enjoying her time with Enver, and even with Tavri, despite their own problems with each other. They were a functional family.
"I suppose you're right." She replied after a short moment of silence between the two of them. She was still sure Aidan would come for her, though she heard no murmurs of any of his attempts to get her back, she hadn't lost hope yet. She waited a while longer, making idle chatter with Melacio before she decided it was best she returned to Tavri and their child. She stood and bid him good night with a smile, returning down the corridor to her own home where Enver had been throwing a fit because she had gone missing and he'd thought she wasn't coming home with them at all. |
On the third day the mages thundered out of the castle gates, spilling into the city, and out into the countryside, Terran called forth for Aidan's attention. The earth mage had taken charge of supplies. And he had noticed something curious. While he was keeping track of the rations given out to the group, he couldn't help but notice that he was missing some. Far too great a number for mere rats. And how the little beasts stayed on the fast paced wagons was beyond them. The thief had a taste for sweets too.
Terran had decided to alert no other in case there was some conspiracy amongst some of the mages to consume more than they were allotted. He and their leader inspected the wagon, finding no deficiencies in the vehicle. Aidan listened carefully, hearing a shifting sound. Not in the mood to play games, he threw back the tarp and leaped in through the back. He was losing precious time for sleep. The faster this was done, the fast he could resume his nap. There had been swift breathing earlier. Now silence. Whoever it was was holding their breath. The fire guard that fell on the floor of the wagon and dragged behind the mage began to become cluttered with sugar. His brow furrowed. There was no way... "DANNY!" His nephew's eyes shot over at the shout of his name. He had done so well staying still until now. His sugar covered fingers moved from his pursed lips. Three days. They had traveled THREE DAYS unaware of his presence. Aidan's head pounded. With the monstrous speed they had gone with little rest or sleep, they would be wasting time trying to catch up with the Arcane if they turned back now. He would have to send a mage back with the boy. Losing out on his power... "You're not sending me back," Danny shot out. His eyes were gleaming red. Aidan grasped the boy's wrist, pulling him out from his hiding place amongst the parcels and carried him out of the wagon. "You're worrying your mother sick with these games you're playing." "I'm not playing." Where was his innocence? The boyish playfulness. The tone he had had to have been mimicked from somewhere. There was no way such seriousness could be from him... "Alucio!" The lightning mage rushed over. "You're to return Danny back to my sister." He held the child out. Alucio grasped him, disappointed to have been given the order of, "You are returning to the castle." Before he could say anything, be it protest or acceptance of the new mission, Danny began to glow a brilliant red. The mages in the area shielded their eyes from the growing brightness being relieved from his small body. Soon a flash of crimson light exploded out, spreading miles away from its source. |
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