It wasn’t the time for me to be panicking about things, falling asleep on someone’s lap is perfectly natural. Besides, I know what I was thinking when I did this. I blush at the thought, but how was it possible that I could resist the temptation, this was what I have always wanted. I take a deep breath, okay, calm down, check if he really is sleeping right now. I lightly poke his cheek and flinch away snapping my eyes shut and slowly opening them again before I repeat this process six more times. This is my chance! I Brush my hand against his forehead before I stroke his hair. Wow, his hair is softer then it looks, I smile, I have always wanted to do this.
Ever since I was small I would play with the dolls father brought back from his trips although I was afraid to admit it at that time, I used to pretend they were my siblings. It was really fun and when I seen siblings on the streets I would copy what they would do and even imagine my own scenarios. I would have tea parties, play hide and go seek, teach my younger sister how to tie her shoes; of course, this was all before my mother decided I needed to learn how to be a proper young lady and took them away. I had so many other things I wanted to try!
Sadly enough, William isn’t my younger brother and he didn’t fall asleep on the porch after he had his first rock, paper, scissors tournament when I seen him and let him sleep on my lap reminiscing about when my younger brother wasn’t embarrassed to lay on my lap.
A shout in the distance echoed throughout the orchards and I jumped to my feet causing William to slam his head onto the ground. He jumped up in an instant and rubbed the back of his head. It was the orchard security, no one was supposed to be out in the orchards at night, and someone must have reported us. I swore when I realized and scanned the area, one, two, and three… What in the night sky was I thinking! The boss of the gang didn’t pass out, oh my bam I could see him smirking where ever he is. I shove William to the direction of the cart.
“What’s happening?” He asks stumbling and rubbing his eyes.
“Orchard security.” I say and run to the passed out gang members. The shouting men and women send a shiver down my spine; most merchants go out of business because of bad records or being out late in the night. I heard a rumor that if you don’t escape the security within 10 minutes you’re as good as captured. I kneel down beside all of the gang members and begin to quickly search their pockets; another shout resonates through the orchards so I run towards the tired William with my pockets full. The winds of a hurricane, I summon thee. With a burst of magic I slam into William and the cart starts to speed away, the shouts are getting closer and the flash of the light feels nostalgic. Bam I have to do something, I try to concentrate only on myself and not the security chasing after us, William stumbling along or the fact that my entire life is rolling away down a field where they keep the cattle. I shake my head envisioning my thoughts drifting out of my ears like my mage instructor had told me to do.
I gasp and I feel like I am travelling at high speeds searching for my built up magic. There! I grab hold of it and I am forced out of my soul with a pulling force like the hand of God. I am yet again running beside William trying to catch the cart like not a millisecond has passed, but now that I look the cart was impossible to catch from the beginning it was at least 20 feet away. I shrug it off we were thinking in the heat of the moment. I reach over and grab his hand and focus on the ground.
In the past when I have done this before people have said that my magic is a one of a kind combination and I should try to get stronger. Of course that isn’t what I want, getting stronger, entering to become a mage of the government; I only want to be a merchant and sell pies around the world while I am still young. I start to build up the charged up magic and let my mind become loose, I take in a deep breath and let it out. This was more complicated than it was a few years ago, I think to myself and scrunching my eyebrows. It was hard to let my mind be loose while concentrating on a chant. I clench Williams hand before I stop in my tracks and pull him behind me. The fence I seen for cattle when I was walking here was going to be a problem with the speed my cart was going I’m not too optimistic about the future of my business.
I raise my hands in front of me and try my best to envision my magic pouring out and into the ground. I felt it seep through the hard rock; I clenched the air and pull my hands up like I was raising the dead. Immediately the ground burst up faster than heated corn kernels, and formed the structure I desired.
“Let’s go!” I say to William and in a daze he runs with me up the stairs. I smile this will be the millionth time I used this to escape trouble, the sky is my kingdom and the wind is my father. “Hold onto me!”
At the top of the staircase I jump off the top step and fly through the sky, William begins to scream when he slides down on his hold and tries to get a tighter hold on my waist. It feels like we are flying for a few more moments before we pause in mid-air and begin to descend back to Earth. William begins to yell even louder than before. I struggle to bring my arms from flailing above my head and hit his arm. He looks at me still yelling I point towards the cart and do my best to gesture what I wanted him to do. He watches transfixed before he looks horrified and shakes his head fervently. What an amusing child, I push him off my waist and I manage to have a glimpse of surprised face before he starts to fall faster.
I probably should have tried to tell him that I was manipulating the wind… I ignore the thought and with all of my might I get a burst of air to slow the cart down enough that if William didn’t die and did what he was told to do than he could catch it. The ground gets closer and closer then I force my magic into the ground once again and roll on the softened soil.
I checked my arms and legs wipe the sweat above my brow and let out a breath of relief; this is the first time I didn’t break any bones.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” My hair flies up and a figure runs passed me. William was running on adrenaline only? Why in the night’s sky wasn’t he using magic? I run after him assuming that he would have an explanation for this. I gave him instructions and it felt like it was the best on I could give at the moment.
“William!” I yell. He’s smiling by the cart pleased with his self and covered in straw. His hair is even messier than it was when I first met him several hours ago. “Why didn’t you do what I-” I didn’t converse with him. “-gestured.”
“You’re not an introvert are you?” He asked smirking, I ignore his arrogance, he was allowed to right now since he caught my cart.
“Just answer me.” I demand.
He starts to blush, what is he a flower girl? He glances at me before looking down at the ground. “I didn’t understand anything but the part about you killing me.” His face gets redder and he avoids looking at me. Are you kidding me? I thought my gestures were perfect considering the circumstances. He glances at me and when we lock gazes he blushes even more and fixates on the ground. Oh William, you obviously got more than a death sentence from my gestures, you’re way too transparent.
It took a while to convince him of what I actually gestured - at the beginning he couldn’t get near to me because he claimed that his heart would burst out of his chest . In the midst of it all we started to walk and he was pushing the cart. It was pretty relaxing until he told me of what happened after he fell. He fell onto some hay and a person, lucky – or unlucky- of us he fell onto one of the orchard security who was sneaking up on us. I asked him if his face was seen but he only started to laugh and mumble something incoherently. I’m not as sure about him as I was several hours ago but the more important thing at hand was that Persey still hasn’t come trotting over like he usually does. A kilometer ahead there was new town full of people who looked like they were in need of a donkey, I could only hope that he was in one of their barns shivering in a corner, that way I would know if he was alive.
“William! How goes it down there?” I ask.
He shows off his bright smile, “A piece of pie or something to eat would be nice.” Happy when you are wake up, huh? I push myself backwards and resume my ‘napping’ on top of my cart. A piece of pie would be nice, after some effort against drowsiness and my heavy limbs I sit up and stretch my arms. I lay back down into a horizontal position and smack my lips, which was a nice stretch. The cart jerks to a stop and I start to fall off, I try to find a hand hold on the smooth metal surface but I fall off the back. I straighten my legs out preparing for the fall and my knees give out and I land face down in the dirt.
I push myself up and touch my cheek checking for injuries. I stop and sigh, my pretty face will never be the same, oh the tragedy. William comes running around the cart breathless.
“Do you see that it looks like we’re almost th- What happened?” He kneels down beside me concerned with a hand on my back.
I brush him off and we stand up, “It’s nothing I just fell off the cart.”
“Your face is bleeding.” He says and I sure enough I wipe my face again only to find blood.
I pull my sleeve down and wipe my face; it was all for nothing and the large – now stinging – cut drips on my clothes from a stream of blood. I scan the place I fell and find a sharp rock sticking out of the ground with a red smudge at its tip. I wipe the stream of blood again and turn towards William with an extreme look of disappointment.
He avoids looking at the cut on my face, “Sorry about that. But there’s a sign over there and I got excited so I let go of the cart to go see what it said.”
I didn’t respond and wiped my cheek again the same as when you would for a tear. I walked ahead and read the sign, ‘eight kilometers to Flame city’. I walked back to William and opened my pie cart without a word.
“Come on, I’ll make some pies.” I smile, we would be at the town around the next bend, and I could make some pies for the visit.
He walks over and returns the smile and starts to search the cart, “Do you have a first aid kit?”
“Yes?” He was on his knees checking the cabinets and was way too close to finding my secret stash of money; I reach over his shoulder on my tiptoes and pull out the kit. I hand it to him and he rips open the package and commands me to stand still while he lightly places the bandage onto my wound.
I pull my head back and the bandage hangs off on one side, this was just a reflex from years of my teacher putting a bandage on my face then lightly slapping it asking ‘if it hurt’. I fix it and look back at him; we need to work out a system between us.
“William-“I stop when he grimaces. “What?”
He tugs his hair and struggles to make eye contact, “I-I would rather you not call me William.”
I protest, “But that’s your name.”
He waves me off, “I know, but that name reminds me of stuff and I would rather you call me by something else, like... Graham or Archer. More preferably Archer.”
I nod but I still feel like William is a better name. I shoo him out of the cart claiming that it was too small a working place – which it is – and take out the ingredients. His face lights up when he sees the cherries and he tells me that he wanted to eat my pies when he saw them but never had the chance; feeling pleased with myself I give a bowl and tell him to mix ingredients while I made the pie crust.
For a while we talk about everything we could think of at the moment we think about it, most of the time we find we have something in common like pick-pocketing since he grew up on the streets and my childhood friend taught me. We talked about our training with our masters mostly and from the looks of it his master trained him all day everyday while I only trained four times a week, which would probably explain why he could pull the heavy steel cart with me on top of it.
I put the pies in the oven and turn back to him; he’s staring in wonder, “How do you even have a portable kitchen?”
I shrug, “Don’t ask me, my dad bought this in water city, and you know how they are.”
He rolls his eyes at the comment, the dowsers – what water city people are usually referred to as – were one of the more rich and snobbish countries, not to mention arrogant, they always proposed war so that they would be truly appreciated for their talents.
I have never been to water city and I said so, as it turned out William had not been either, both of us decided to start their journeys on the west coast of the island and make our way East. Not to my surprise we realized that neither of us had actually had a conversation with a dowser it was in fact the first time that we had seen a dowser in fire city orchards in all the time between the both of us – which even then didn’t amount to much, William who was a stored up flower girl.
I tried to suppress a smile, I thought I would make a lot of money alone but with Will- Archer around I was getting a lot more done in a shorter amount of time, maybe I could also send him to the late night markets to start a business, I heard that the people underground made a lot of money. But then again that was from my father and it was more of a warning then a suggestion. “People who do these ‘underground’ businesses make a lot of money but they lose a lot in the process”, “Like what?” he smiled “Like love”. My father would always say things like that, love is more important than money, there are a lot more things in life to gain then money, stop stealing from people or your grounded; a very honey suckle sweet man.
The oven dinged bringing me back to the present time and helping William – Archer take the pie out of the oven, surprisingly enough, he was better at cooking and baking than a housewife, he claimed it was because his master was the best teacher in the world and nobody anywhere, absolutely anywhere, could get better than his master. I whacked his hands away from the hot pies a few more times before I cut them into eight pieces and stored them away I felt assured that no one would be able to get the pies inside my cart but just in case I put a lock on the handle.
We started our journey to the city once again and as we finally reached the peak of a hill we were climbing, I saw the bright town shining through the night. It was beautiful in a sense of being fresh, it wasn’t bombarded with the rebellions because it was secluded, and mages were yet to wreak havoc onto the town doing their best to ‘decorate’ it.
“Hey,” Wi-Archer said gaining my attention. “Um... Jenn? Oh wait, sorry its Jane right? Do you think we will find that Persey fellow in this town?”
I look at the town, they better have stolen him. “I hope he’s there and you should too, because if not we have to drag that cart all through Fire City country.”
William nodded and had one of his transparent moments, about 40 more days of walking while pulling this thing… I will do my best. I resisted the temptation to smile and turned away from him when I did, at times I seriously doubted we were the same age.
“You know Jane; you look different from all of the other Sky city people.” He stated out loud, more from force of habit then to actually offend me, even knowing this I was annoyed.
I didn’t bother to hide how annoyed I was – as per usual – and drawled, “People from Sky city have names like every other country, it of course isn’t known to most people since we, how do I say this without sounding obnoxious, we are somewhat an important political figure in the City conferences and treated like-“
“Royalty.” Archer piped up.
I scrunch my face up, “Yeah, royalty, exactly what our name comes from, we are called the Royals even if some of us aren’t related to the olden Kings we are called Royals.” I pause, “And that’s exactly why most people don’t know our names it was decided that having a reminder of how the world used to work before we had city conferences to decide matters is a taboo, as said so by the last king, William Asher Arcadian.”
Archer laughed, “He doesn’t sound like royalty, ha, and William isn’t a royal sounding name.”
I shook my head and wagged my finger, “Ah, ah, ah, W-Archer, whenever someone hears the name William they think royalty. In fact, it’s weird that you were even named William, it is such a respected name people normally don’t even think of naming their kids William.” I look at him suspiciously.
Archer looked away, his face bright red, “My master told me that too but I asked him if we could change it.” If possible his face turned brighter, “We were looking through the history books and found a legend about a guy named Archer Graham Sibyl and decided it was the best name. But He didn’t let me change my first name.”
I feel a bit astonished, changing your name was normally a bigger deal then just looking through you history book with a teacher, most people would have a banquet with family and decided a name with a guardian or a parent.
I decide to change back to the original subject so the flower girl wouldn’t be embarrassed, even so I scoff. “I know what everyone expects a royal to look like, blonde hair, blue eyes and a bit tan because ‘their skin is too beautiful to be fully tanned’, but I don’t, my mother didn’t come from Sky City, she was from a town near Water City’s capitol Rain City.”
Archer pointed at me like he solved the biggest mystery on the planet, “That explains how gloomy you are!”
“I’m not gloomy! I mean I have the same stature as everyone else a-and my hair is just brown! That doesn’t make me any less a Royal!” I snap and immediately clamp my hands over my mouth; I can’t believe I just said that!
Archer started pulling the cart and walking ahead but not before I seen him struggling not to laugh. I felt my cheeks grow hot and I ran after him protesting that I didn’t mean to say I was Royal he only laughed and trudged on.
I was still arguing with Archer by the time we arrived in town, he hadn’t said anything because the cart was more precious then our conversation, it contained the pies he worked so hard on. I tried to do exactly what he was doing, ignoring him and focusing on what needed to be done. But for the first time in my life it was extremely boring to plan things out, it must be the after effects of the adrenaline rush. Earlier I added up the total amount of money I had; it should be enough for us to stay in a hotel for the rest of the night, which judging by the season and position of the moon would be 7 hours of sleep. It could be worse, we travelled pretty fast for a walking distance without a donkey, I would have been way more tired arriving at town and probably collapse from exhaustion and not made pies and the grand total of money I would make would be Nada thing. In a way W-Archer had deemed himself worthy.
The town was new so it didn’t have that slight sour smell in the air; instead it smelt like fresh bread, barbecue, and every new store we strolled by, it would have been a nice arrival if not for the chimneys. The smell of burning wood triggered a slight head ache, and the new smells felt very masculine compared to the orchards and my own country; this was a town in fire city after all. I huffed, so much for selling pies, I look ahead at Archer who had a hop in his step and was whistling a tune I never heard of, well at least I had someone to share the pies with, and maybe it could even be an early morning snack.
I could imagine it now. I would be walking through the lobby at the hotel we were staying at while eating a piece of pie on a beautiful plate designed to capture the beauty of a white rose caught in the early hours of the morning. The restaurant inside the hotel would be calling out for meat-eaters everywhere and I would debate with myself whether or not I should walk in and throw the pie away since there was just too much too enjoy. Mid-bite a voice would send shivers down my spine behind me,
“Can I have a bite?” He would ask, just like the city his voice had a deep masculinity and a low hum in it that would reveal a hidden sadness that only one who listened close could hear.
I turn around only to find a Greek god with a wide smile. I would back away, embarrassed and try and keep a steady gaze with those big round eyes.
“You can have a bite only if you promise to shower me with gold.” I whisper. I pause then move closer to him my eyes glistening with hope. “And love.”
He smiles and leans in while I spoon feed him, our faces are close and-
I run into the back of the cart making a metallic thud ring through the night and the impact reopens my wound. I fall on my back and lay on the ground not bothering to get up, I do not recall a time I had been as clumsy as I was this night. I look at the sky, who was it that always did? I searched the sky hoping if I found one I would remember. My eyes water bit before I wipe them and curse out loud. Like Bam I would cry, it must have just been smoke from the chimneys, typical of a fire city town to produce so much gunk.
I remember now, it was in a newspaper I read on my way to the orchards. Apparently it was the most organized town they had built in Fire City while all the others were a spur of the moment. The town people who built the settlement called it Harlow after the recent award winning Scorcher for her work on a new magic medicine for mountain city mages, its still undergoing tests. The medicine was nothing new; it was just extremely complicated to create medicine for their magic.
My wound stings and I cringe, I would have to be more careful or else I would open the wound even more than it had already. I tenderly touch the bandage and feel the warmth of fresh blood, well nothing I can do about that, I stop poking it and the bandage unsticks from the cut. In all of the night’s sky I better not get a bam scar or else I would have to get a water mage to make it disappear and only the person in my past life would be able to afford that. I stand up and storm to the front of the cart to ask Archer what he was doing instead I was catching flies and a tiny squeak escaped when I was met with an open space.
I look around trying to find him figuring that he was hiding somewhere like a coward and catch a glimpse of his bed head hair in the window of a hotel. It was nice and new but not one I would normally stop in my tracks for I would rather have one that had a restaurant inside the lobby. I finally realize where we are and quickly turn to look down the street, does he have any sense at all, I know my dream hotel must be here somewhere, and I will definitely find a rich man that could provide me with my everyday needs. I DEFINITELY won’t find him in a tiny little hotel- I can’t even call it that- a tiny motel like that.
Oh what in stars was this? Hanging signs from the doors of every hotel that looked moderate read ‘no vacancy’, I laughed loudly and hit a building close to me as hard as I could. The entire time I thought he was happily ignoring me but he was actually looking for a vacancy sign, he was actually more annoyed then I am right now. I catch his eye and smile at him, he quickly smiles back then turns toward the counter waiting for the couple in front of him to check in before he walks up to the counter and begins talking to the receptionist. The receptionist started to shake her head and said something, Archer glances at me then gestures something but the receptionist shakes his head again and places a sign on the desk. Archer walks outside.
He tugs on his hair and mumbles, “They just ran out of rooms when that couple checked in.”
Archer had a see through expression moment yet again, ‘I failed at my task, now I won’t get praise.
“Its fine, we can find a different hotel. I’m sure not every hotel on this town is going to be full.” I laugh loudly and pat his back; at least I hope there is.
As it turns out every where in town was full to the brim. The street we were on was supposedly the only street that had nice hotels. It was only one hour later after run ins with drunks and the occasional failed attempt at thievery that a couple tugged luggage onto a cart and left. Even more than that it was to my luck that this hotel happened to be on the outside of town and clean with below normal two night pricing, although we did have to pay extra for the use of showers and a bit of convincing to allow the cart to go inside.
As we walked inside into the lobby, Archer asked, “Why are all of the hotels so busy?” He attempted to hide his pout.
“The mayor decided to hold a festival for the grand opening of the town.” The receptionist said counting his money but noticing their looks quickly put on a bright smile. “And if I can make a recommendation, there is going to be a famous dowser performing some beautiful magic and playing some instruments also. It’s going to be quite a show. Only 300 fi-“
“No! No we are fine really.” I quickly say dreading the next words to come out of the man’s mouth.
His smile remains on his face but it was more strained than it already was, “Are you sure? The Dowser is always bombarded with fans.”
Archer awkwardly stepped behind me sensing the tension. I smile back but struggle to do so, “We were just going to go to bed and gather supplies in the morning.” I already started pushing Archer towards the stairs and once we made it somewhere I knew the receptionist wouldn’t hear I sighed with relief.
“Oh my Draco, what was up with him?” Archer asked glancing back over his shoulder making sure that the man wasn’t following us.
I grab his shoulder when he tries to walk past our room, “Forget that, did you see his eyes?”
“What about them?”
I check to see if anyone was listening then turn back to him, “There was a smile but his eyes were dead.”
Archer visibly shivered before they opened the door to their room.
The room was small with only two beds and a window with orange drapes, the walls were white, the bed sheets were a dark mustard yellow and the floor was covered in a patterned carpet with the flame symbol. It was in other words, the perfect room for a ten year old, Archer and I shared a glance before setting down our belongings – for Archer that would be a few fire coins and his wallet.
I face the wall as he undresses into only his boxers and wait until I hear the rustle of his sheets before turning back around. “You know I’ve been wondering…” I started to gain Archer’s attention, he props himself up on his elbow and makes eye contact. “Where is all of your stuff?”
He looks confused, “What stuff?”
“You know, your luggage, like clothes.”
Archer quickly smiles then he furrows his eyebrows before quickly pulling the blanket over his head and falling down on his pillow. He faces the opposite direction, “I was in a rush to go so I forgot my stuff, if we go through flame city I’ll pick it up. Is that all you needed to know?” Archer breathes deeply. “I’m going to sleep.”
I was surprised when the next second his breathing became quiet and steady. I scratch my head and open the curtains to gaze at the sky for a while.
Not long ago I would be sitting at home with my dad cooking dinner for when my mother came home from work late at night. Or around this time I would be hanging up decorations for the day of the red sky; although my family was not religious we would still celebrate things like that. Maybe even around this time my mother would walk into my room and open the curtains to look at the sky kind of like I was doing right now except in sky city you could see all of the stars.
I groan and grip my hair. What am I doing? I briskly close the curtains and sit down on my bed. Earlier this year my parents decided to ‘move their separate ways’. My father settling down in the house while my mother found a cheap house in the middle of town, far away from my father. They were both in their late forties so there wasn’t much options; my father decided to take up the religion of Sky city and pray to the many gods everyday soon becoming a servant to the gods and my mother decided to spend her evenings with my mage teacher.
I could never quite put a word on what I felt when my parents did what they did, embarrassment maybe? It wasn’t often that married couples would split up, I was teased whenever I went to train with everyone else, whenever I made a mistake and our mage teacher would help me, the other teens would snicker and blame it on my loose family life. But it couldn’t be that, because whenever my mage teacher said to call him ‘Dad’ I would joke with him and laugh it off. Or I would just hit the other teens with some wind magic when they made fun of me.
I fell back on the bed and sigh before roughly tugging the blankets out from underneath me and pulling them over my body. I couldn’t find the word but whenever I asked; my mother would actually snap at me and lecture me about how it wasn’t her fault. I thought years earlier that I definitely didn’t want to become a workaholic like mother but I would rather be a happy workaholic then a bitter woman.
I hug my pillow, why was I able to connect with a complete stranger but having a problem with mother? I hear a sharp intake of breath and look over to see Archer reaching towards the air while drooling. I wonder what he is dreaming about, I stare at him for a while longer, my mother wasn’t the best woman in the world and that’s that. Starting now I would stop worrying about this, and start focusing on different things like how I should pay for future hotel rooms and if I should force Archer into the night business. I am seriously considering if I should do this or not since some girls love flower girls.
It doesn’t take me long to fall asleep and that is the same for waking up. A glow streams through the curtains bathing the room in a warm orange glow. Archer, who was facing the other way, is still sleeping but moans a little and pulls the blanket over his head. I sit up and rub my eyes, gazing in awe at the lit up room and glowing curtain, the sun sure was bright today. I get up reach towards the curtain to let the suns rays in, ready to greet the world with a smile after a long night of moping. A scream rings my ears and I pull my hand back from the curtain. I check to see if it was Archer. He still has his eyes closed and is groggily getting up while yawning. I chuckle and look back to the curtain, how stupid of me to offend his pride in my head. Archer’s scream is much more boyish then that one, I think to myself recalling the time he fell to the ground when we escaped the sercurity.
Another scream rips through the peaceful afternoon. That scream was pretty close, I open the curtains and the afternoon sky is covered with clouds. I check the position of the sun, right about now that concert for the famous Dowser should be going on but that was in the middle of town, there shouldn’t be any screams close by. I look at Archer whose lower half is covered by the orange sheets, those should be yellow. I whip my head around and look at the sky yet again, from the West side of town a bright light fills the town and coats it with red, more screams fill the air and the glow grows stronger.
Archer and I share a glance before he darts out of bed only in his boxers. I throw my sheets on the floor, if there was anything hidden beneath them they would have fallen out. I grab my remaining personal items that are in view and find a ribbon amongst them, purely out of habit I tie my hair up and pull on my shoes.
Archer picks up his spare change and ties his headband onto his wrist before he runs out the door. He couldn’t be one of those ‘hero’ types, if he was this system I hoped we were going to have would fall apart, I groan and follow suit.
We run down to the lobby expecting to meet the receptionist there to demand his money and run like there was rabid dog chasing him - but he isn’t anywhere to be found. Archer darts out the doors. I glare at the place he left, he better be a coward. I run to grab the cart but Archer runs out of sight. I am stuck between following him or grabbing the cart. The cart might be in danger because I know for a fact that that glow wasn’t normal, it had to be some type of magic. But determining what it was before you escape is always the best to do. It could be light magic, fire magic or sand city’s magic. I stomp my foot and suppress a scream, and Archer knew nothing of what this magic was, right now he was more in danger then the cart was, my father always says to prioritize humans over money.
I run out the door and search both ways. A small group of people are escaping on carriages and Archer was not with them. I look the other way; another scream ignites a flurry of yells and cries. I had to get away. I take a step in the other direction but a strange resistance pulls me in three directions; my cart, my escape, and Archer.
“Out of all the idiotic things to do Archer why this?” I whisper before I run off towards the ever growing light.
As I run more and more people are starting to crowd the streets carrying bags or just wearing what they have on their back, this seemed way too serious. The winds of a hurricane, I summon thee. I take some more of my magic and seep it through of every root of the flowers and every crack in the rocks. I slow down, I should have stayed behind a day longer to learn how to run while operating my Earth magic it was hard enough to even find a mage master for Earth magic in Sky city, I close my eyes and spread out a pathway of magic in the rocks that would return to me as soon as I walked over it, that would have to do for now.
In another few minutes I would have to repeat the chant to refresh it that is if I didn’t find Archer, who undoubtedly would be acting heroic at the moment.
I run against the opposing crowd for several more seconds before I break through into a more loose area. Harsh laughter’s, the thud of fists hitting flesh, and the cries of injured people are the only other sounds other then the screams of other running away and more yells going to the center of town, the location of the government building. The town’s baking bread and chimney’s now smelt like burning flesh and a metallic smell was evident. My trail goes ahead fifteen more feet, bam, there’s no time to concentrate in this chaos.
I abandon the thought of chasing after Archer and briefly let my magic flow through the entire ground underneath the crowd. I wonder if he would be satisfied if I told him why I didn’t find him sooner?
An itch in my hands compels me to grab my hunter knife and be done with the violence but I resist it. Now wasn’t the time to be fighting, if a government official managed to take note of one of the “Royals” out in fire city fighting within the rumble, it would be reported to the highest officials that Sky city has joined the rebellion. And that woud be just GREAT for the peaceful country. I have to look as elegant and regal as possible during this fight, which meant no use of hand to hand combat.
If only Archer hadn’t run off then I wouldn’t have to even think about the normal citizens.
A woman sees me standing off on the sidelines, not running. She snarls and runs towards me; her smooth hair is tangled and dirty with splatter of food and blood. I put on my indifferent face before I begin to manipulate my magic. Hurricane magic was harder to control then the other chants I have memorized but it was the only one with endurance and power. I swirl it in front of me letting it gain speed and let loose.
The mini tornado knocks men off their feet and the running locals to the ground, but the women pushes off the ground and dodges the tornado.
“Burn the bones and the flesh leave nothing but ash!” The woman screams, her voice is hoarse and panicked. A stream of golden fire shoots forward aiming for my face. I have to flip over this, I prepare for the jump when I hear a closer scream. A little boy is standing at the edge of the crowd, his wide grey eyes light up with the golden fire closing in.
My calm demeanor turns into one of panic and I focus on the fire in front of me. My fists are clenched and I bring boulders out of the ground before I use the rest of my wind magic to pick two up and leave them hovering above me in the air and leave the remaining one in front of me, I grab the boy and shield him away from the fire. The boulder smolders in the heat and I drop the other one in front. The women is still yelling and conjuring more fire. My eyes are squeezed shut and the boy is squeezing the air out of me.
The sounds vanish and the heat leaves the air. I pry my eyes open, the boy is crying. I pick him up and stroke his hair. “Run.” I say before I push him away from the charred grounds surrounding us. Another tear runs down his face and he runs away, not looking back.
I fold over and cup my hand over my mouth, the boy jumped over two charred bodies that still burn with golden fire. Calm down, calm down, they have mages. Just run. Find Archer and run. I am still breathing rapidly when a blow hits me in the back of my head, I fall to the ground and my chin is scraped in the process, I really have to let my cheek heal. I get up on all fours only to be kicked on the side of the head onto my back. I look up and the woman is standing over me. Her eyes are tired and her face worn, she wears a sadistic smile, in all of this violence she must have lost it.
I glare at her; there was nothing she was forced to do. This was all on her own.
“The sky is my kingdom and the wind is my father!” Her eyes widen and she opens her mouth to start a chant. I focus the wind on the boulder I have hovering in the air and break it into bullet sized pieces. I aim mainly on her abdomen and let it loose. Closing me eyes I turn away from her, I only here the gasp she leaves before hitting the side of a building. This is exactly why money is better then humans.
I jump up and start runningin random directions, bending down and stealing a scarf from a passed out woman to hide my face. I wasn’t going to try and not fight hand to hand now. I take my hunters knife and weave through the crowd of people being beaten or destroying buildings, cutting and slashing whenever one tried to attack me.
A few hit me but only after I ran by. Where is he? Leave him.
I stop in my tracks and slip into an alley way my head thobbing. Leave him. I clench my head and sink to theground. Leave him. I shake my head when the pain worsens. I can’t leave William just to escape this; I won’t do that to him, what if he was in trouble. The thought rattles me from the bones. With that I get up from my crouching position and begin to search for Archer, I can’t let this get to me.
When I get outside most of the people escaped, save few for the rebels trashing the streets. At least it would be easier to look for Archer this way. Shards of glass rain down on top of me the further I got out of the hotel and I look back to see I was almost hit with a bigger piece of glass shattered from the window three floors above me.
I laugh as loud as I can, it’s better to laugh it off when you’re panicking. “Wow, that was a close one, huh? I have to be more careful. Oh wow, was that going to hurt. Jeeeeez that was scary.”
Oh great, I’m starting to sound like Archer. Amidst the chaos I manage to stop laughing when blood splashes by my feet and begin to search for Archer. This would have been easier if this town wasn’t so confusing, one second I am at the edge of town and the next I run passed a movie theatre, and that wasn’t all, if I were to think that a restaraunt was at the next corner I would find a dojo. Every street was blocked with buildings, how big was this town? It would be easy to get lost.
A sudden thought strikes me down to my knees and fills me with dread, what if Archer had no sense of direction? That would make things more and even more complicated then things already were. In all of the night’s sky, to make it even worse than it already was, what if someone ruined his beautiful face? My plan for him to work the nights would be ruined. I rub my cheek from the blood running down it only to find that my arm was bleeding to from the broken shards of glass. Not to mention the burns I received from the psycho women, at least I can say I saved that little boy.
I stand up and begin my search for Archer yet again only to find myself running in circles. I aimed for the government building figuring he was there fighting. Only to find myself in a circular park with a giant ball of fire.What in the world is wrong with me! Circles is the only thing I can do right. I stop my self despair when I realize something. I slowly look around. This is where that red glow was coming from… I shield my eyes and try to search the area with the upmost effort I could afford. All of my wounds start to sting and throb from the heat and it only grows hotter by the second. In my father’s good name this could be a problem.
My eyes begin to feel dry when I start to push my limits and observe the area. I was wrong this place was could no longer be called a circular park blooming with life as it had once been. The buildings fencing the park had apartments and bakeries at the lower floors were burning, the park benches were in smithereens and the green grass turned black. In the grass a stench fills the air that was more disgusting then the smell of burning rubber. This destruction all from this one ball of flame.
“Get out of the way! Hurry!” A familiar – but desperate- voice calls.
I look around me for the source and see a dark figure hiding behind one of the trees on fire. I arch an eyebrow and shrug, Wha?
“Draco, you are dumb, if you don’t move you’ll die!” They scream.
Well, that’s pretty presumptuous isn’t it? I turn away and continue my search for Archer, some people.
The ball of flame grows larger and flaps its wings… Wait, what? The flames start to fly higher before if breathes a ball of fire right in my direction. Only then do I realize that the stink from the grass was really coming from the smell of burnt flesh and boiling blood. I nearly puke at the thought and my lip cracks and starts to bleed from the dry heat of the oncoming flame. It was slow so I could dodge it, it speeds up. I panick and quickly jump to the side. The fire slams to the ground leaving a hole where I stood. I cry out in fear and my heart is practically beating right out of my chest. The after shock of the explosion whacks into my side and scream out in pain, my breathing becomes labored.
I fall to the ground and grit my teeth. Tears pour down my face and I avoid looking at my burning side. I shiver and look at the huge ball of flame in the sky preparing for its next attack as I lay helpless on the ground. This is how it’s going to be, this is how I will die? I close my eyes and lay on the ground.
I choke back a sob, “Damn you William.” I cough. I feel satisfied, at the very least I swore, offended him and broke a promise with my parents. The old habit of swearing returning in my weak state of mind.
In only a several hours Archer messed up my peaceful, cowardly and boring life. I can’t stop the flow of tears running down my face; I would have a chance if I could stand up. I move slightly and the fire ignites on my side, I cry out. Struggling to open my eyes I look around the area. Maybe that guy behind the tree can help me. The world is hazy and doubled from the pain, I blame the tears. I look back up to the sky and the red flames set a deep fear in my belly, it was too realistic to be magic. My last thoughts and words will be dedicated to Archer far away from my home, I hope they have something to put in my casket. I laugh, who would have thought I would be done in by a dragon?