Feren sat in a circle with his three friends. They hadn't been able to see each other for a long time as it was now up to them to help prepare for the upcoming winter. Rather curiously it was because the winter season had taken place that they could talk again so their chores were no longer ruling over them. Now the people of the town just had to hope the stockpile could last them through the cruel northern winters.
They sat in their warm coat huddled close for some natural warmth as they spoke.
"We haven't got very far with the magic," Andrew pouted.
This caused Feren to fidget uncomfortably, "Yeah, sorry. It's hard to show you how when I can't demonstrate."
The three of them went quiet as a melancholy air seemed to take them over.
"I think we need someone else to help, we can't even get started," Amy decided to cut through the atmosphere.
"It's odd though. Not many people here know the runes and Page said no when I asked."
Unlike the city where runes were common knowledge this village seemed to run on little magic. In the city fires would warm the homes using some runes but here everything was manual, Feren had learned this the hard way.
When he asked Page he said it was because of the creatures in the Norwood, they were attracted to magic so if the village used an excessive amount it would mean their destruction. The only reason Page and Old Kim could use runes was because they were away from the rest of the town so if a creature did appear then it could be stopped there with minimal casualties.
These spiralling thoughts brought the revelation to him, "Old Kim, she can use magic."
"The old crone can?" Andrew looked stupefied.
"I didn't know that, she has only ever used medicinal herbs from my experience," Amy said incredulously.
Feren nodded and explained about the book he had gotten from when he had planned to go into healing. It had more than the basics of magic and if the healer expected him to have this knowledge, then she must have it as well. Why she kept her magic secret was beyond him but they had a route for success.
They took the journey from Amy's backyard to Old Kim's place, this time taking a shortcut through a field. The farmers wouldn't care as it was frozen over and useless for crops at this point but an old man was wandering towards them slowly.
The robes he wore were a simple dark affair, but an insignia emblazoned the left side. It showed three lines spiralling from the centre to the edges of a triangle.
The old man waved them down so they slowed down to meet him, he gave a quick bow with two fingers up which Feren reciprocated but his two friends just looked at him confused.
The old man raised an eyebrow surprised, "It's been a while since I've met anyone this far north who follows the Odist's path."
"I try though it is hard when there is no place of worship," Feren replied.
"Aah, that is far from the truth. As long as you exist anywhere is a place for prayer," the old man said. To demonstrate he sat and started meditating as was the classic way to pray towards Accor.
"What's the old geezer doing?" Andrew asked whispering into Feren's ear. This caused anger to stir in his gut that he hadn't felt for a long time.
As if sensing the rising conflict the priest interjected, "This old geezer is listening to you insult me." More swiftly then the old man had any right for his age he rose from the meditation, almost instantly he was next to Andrew with a hand on his shoulder.
Andrew shrugged the hand off and when the geezer went to put his hand back on his shoulder Andrew seemed to duck and roll away almost instantly, a new cold sweat seemed to have come over him.
The old geezer laughed, "It's been a while since I've seen promise like that." The old man seemed to be getting some distinct pleasure from this confrontation.
The old man went to launch himself forward but suddenly let out a yelp, Kabe could be seen biting the old man's foot. Kabe hissed at the old man distastefully and then strutted away behind Feren indifferently.
"It seems I lost my composure," the Old man said. "I am William, a wandering priest." He extended his arm, partly for forgiveness.
Andrew ignored it as he stood in a ready position for combat.
Amy looked at him like a complete oaf and took the clergyman's hand, "Sorry about my friend, he can get a bit overexcited at times. We always have to be on our toes here in the town of Mistwood you see because of how close we are to the Norwoods."
"That makes sense," the priest nodded giving another bow but this still seemed to be him apologizing. "I hate to be more of a bother after that scuffle but do you happen to know where the nearest inn is, I am in dire need of somewhere to rest."
Andrew just stood staring daggers at him, "Why should we tell?"
The atmosphere remained tense so Feren just pointed in the direction they came. "Go that way, there's an inn at the centre of the town in the square. It's hard to miss."
The priest bowed as he left, Kabe just kept hissing as he went past. Once the priest was well outside earshot Amy exploded. "What was that?" This was aimed at the priest who seemed to have attacked out of nowhere.
Feren scratched his head, "I think he was testing Andrew. It's something the paladins sometimes did in the city."
Andrew looked eased up. He was drenched in sweat, "I honestly thought I was done for. My dad's drills seem to be doing me some good."
Feren had once been tested in the city but he had failed. While the paladin had said he had some promise apparently, he wasn't compatible. The priest seemed to have taken a liking to Andrew and when an Odist finds promise they rarely let it go easily. Their paladins were a prideful and powerful group because they never let go of fresh blood.
"Those holy types give me the creeps," Kabe growled as they walked to Old Kim's. This caused Amy and Andrew to look at Kabe alarmed.
"The cat talks," Amy sputtered out.
"I'm Kabe, not the cat."
Feren rubbed the nape of his neck, "Yeah, he's a magical cat."
Amy and Andrew's face became more scared as they stood stock still.
"Relax," Kabe laughed. "If I wanted to hurt you, you'd never know it was happening."
"If you say so," Andrew replied uneasily.
"Don't be such a scaredy cat," Amy said shaving Andrew between her and the cat. It seemed magical animals were not as common here as the city.
They reached the shack, it was as dilapidated as he remembered. The garden was large and filled with plants of great variety. The plants were not organized aesthetically but they were just put into blocks. The garden seemed to be only for utility.
Feren took the steps up and knocked loudly flinching slightly from the sound of the door. His ears still seemed sensitive.
After a while they heard shuffling towards the door. The key clunked as it unlocked and the door slowly opened showing a small kindly old lady. Her eyes seemed more alive than the rest of her body as they sparkled with a curiousity rarely found.
"What do you three young 'uns want with this old lady," she smiled revealing a kind smile.
The fear and trepidation they had of what they had been told was an old crone seemed to shrivel up and disappear. All that was in front of them was someone equivalent to a grandmother.
"We were wondering," Amy said taking charge of the situation. "Can you teach us some magic?"
The three of them looked up eagerly at her.
She sighed, "If that's all you can come in." She opened the door wider to reveal a luxurious and cosy cottage. The fire burned softly in the fire place. The only oddity was the bookshelves lining the walls, this many books was rare for a noble, how she had so many was a wonder in on itself.
Feren was enamoured by them. He was already scanning the spines, there was a lot on herbs, a bit on magic theory, elementals, magical creatures, charms and all you could want to know on runes. Lastly in the corner there was a few books on items of power. He quickly gravitated to those books, this was an unusual part of magic rarely brought up, it was almost taboo in the city.
Before he could touch the books the old lady had grabbed him.
"Those books are not for prying eyes," she muttered.
They took their seats on the couch while the old lady took a seat opposite them.
"I cannot teach magic to you," she said. "The mist plague robbed the families and their descendants of the ability. This is the only and last town of spellcasters in Taranelle, it's a dirty secret that the country likes to keep covered up."
Feren's ears perked up. "What is a spellcaster though?"
The old lady paused looking them up and down seriously. "Take no prejudices here. Instead of Mages who use runes to command the flow of magic a spellcaster moves the magic with feeling. The sword masters of Sta Kor use a version of this, so do the goblin shamans of the far west."
"So can we be like the sword masters?" Andrew asked.
"Or goblins," Amy said derisively.
"As I said, don't take prejudice into this. There is no way to know what sort of magic you will have, it will manifest at some point doing an activity you have some connection to. An infamous example is Callahan, he gained his connection to fire through cooking and is now one of the greatest commanders of magic the world has seen. Keep an eye on your abilities, I sense great power in you two," she pointed at Amy and Andrew.
Feren looked down disappointed. He had hoped there was still some future with magic he could have but again his hopes were dashed.
"What can you sense in me?," Amy piped up.
"And me," Andrew chimed in.
The old lady took a deep breath and closed her eyes while taking Amy's hands, "I can hear voices in you. You will be able to speak to many, this is a great skill when combined with some knowledge on some higher magic."
She then moved to Andrew, "I can see fluid movement here. I see dance in your future so if you're really wanting to practice magic you'll have to become some sort of dancer."
Amy burst out laughing, "I have to see that. He's got two left feet."
Andrew just looked at the ground flushed.
Lastly, she looked at Feren. "I can't help you with your magic but I can give you a book." She said while moving to one of the bookcases. She picked up a large tome wrapped in a leather binding. IT looked worn.
She handed over the book with some effort, it was heavier than it looked. Feren could feel it weighing on him abnormally.
"This book is enchanted to hold more than a normal book. It has all my notes on medicinal herbs and treating wounds without magic. I firmly believe that magic is too sporadic untrustworthy to use except as a last resort. Think of this as an apology for my inability to treat you."
She smiled and then showed them around the garden. Each plant needed different treatment and had unique affects, Feren only picked up pieces here and there but her voice seemed to be calming. It wasn't long until the sun started to set.
The three of them went their separate ways with some confectionaries that Old Kim had prepared for their family. He also had the book at his side.
Page was there waiting as he went through the door. Food was waiting on the table, it was a simple stew, it mostly had been throughout winter. Page had made each stew unique which was more than his Dad had back in the city though he was starting to miss even his cooking. His mothers was something he had been craving for a while, those roasts and fried food had been something too good to miss.
"I saw you at Old Kim's," Page noted. "I suppose she told you about spellcasting."
Feren excitedly put the book on a side table and took a seat at the table for the food, "She did. I can't use it though apparently Amy and Andrew have talent in it."
Page nodded, "You may not be able to move magic though you can see traces of it. Or so Tarron reckons."
The spoon left his hand as he slammed it down. "Dad mentioned it before," he started sobbing again. "Can I use magic or not," he shouted.
Page sighed and wrapped his arms around him comfortingly. "You're like me. A long time ago I was recued by a magical beast called Fenrir. With a healer he used his magic to heal my arm, with it I lost my magic but I lived."
The thoughts were swirling around in his head. This had happened before, his own Grandad had gone through it before. The warmth from his arms seemed to grow as he felt the soothing take over.
He looked up sniffling, "I've seen you use magic before."
Page looked mournfully outside. "That you have. Kabe used himself as a conduit for your magic, he has it. In my case Fenrir had it but when he died I regained it, though I lost a great friend."
"Can't Kabe give it back?"
"I'm afraid not. Your life is now entrusted to him, you die and he's gone, that's his price. It was the only way to keep you alive, that's what it means to be oath keepers."
Kabe stepped out from under the table. "You and I are bound now. I have your magic and you have my life essence keeping your heart beating. It's a good deal on your end really."
Feren cried a bit harder as Page growled at the cat disapprovingly. "Kabe means well Feren. You are part him now so you see the world differently, as you grow your senses will change. It is strange, wonderful, and terrifying. It's why you must learn from Tarron and me."