Cyliss has had some pretty weird dreams in the past but this one was just straight abnormal. Instead of the vivid dreams he was accustomed to was a floating white page hovering in darkness. His name was visible in the upper left corner and taking up the majority of the page what looked to be an x-ray of his body, with his abdomen glowing a crimson red where his stomach had been punctured. Okay this is strange Cyliss thought. His attention was caught by the numbers to the left of the x-ray each labeled like an RPG character screen. Before he could get a close look at what the numbers actually were his attention was pulled back to the crimson light as the edges began to change to a light green shrinking the blot of red bit by bit.
Cyliss's eyes opened wide in shock, the fire that had been present in his stomach had doubled in pain. He tried to pull away from the pain but he was locked in place, his hands and feet having been bound to what felt like a wooden table. Looking around furiously his head froze as his eyes locked onto what looked to be a green firefly, but it slowly fizzled into nothing. Lifting his head down casting his eyes to the pain there was a spectacular sight, something that he had only dreamed of witnessing. Magic. The radiating green luminescence that encased his wound let off what looked like balls of green light as the hole closed. The sight completely distracted him from the pain.
And before he had even begun to feast his eyes on this day dream fantasy it was done, leaving only his baren white flesh behind. That's when he noticed the withered old hands pulling away from his gut. Casting his gaze wondrously toward the caster she looked like a normal old woman. Well OLD woman would be more like it. Her skin was a sandy tan and scaly from age. The wrinkles on her face were so deep she must have frowned everyday for hundred years Cyliss thought.
"Its not very nice to remark about someone else's age like that young man!" The woman said indignantly out, punching him in the gut.
"Fww" The air burst from his lungs causing Cyliss to collapse back to the table trying to catch his breath.
"Now really, have the youngins forgotten how to respect their elders this age, honestly." She huffed, crossing her arms, waiting for Cyliss to recover while staring at him with daggers in her eyes.
Cyliss finally managed to catch his breath before shouting "What did you do that for you old bat, its not like I said anything!"
The vein that was the sole mountain among valleys in her face popped out, "Old bat huh!?" She reached toward the end table by the bed dragging a knife that could butcher a young buck against his throat. "You're in quite a vulnerable position to be talking like that, especially to someone who just saved your life." Cyliss gulped against the cold steel that was pushed up against him. "Remember this boy, a life saved is no longer yours to lose, but mine to take." She breathed into his ear." Cyliss recoiled prepared for the knife to slash its way through his life's cord but instead of his neck being loosened his arms were given the freedom he had wished for moments ago.
The woman walked away toward what seemed to be a fireplace and bent over it. Cyliss pulled himself up, rubbing his stomach with amazement. He tried to get up but realized that whereas the woman freed his hands, she had left his feet bound. Well I guess I don't blame her since she just punched and threatened me, it would kinda be dumb to fully release me Cyliss thought. But that didn't stop him from trying to untie it himself. "Its futile, its a knot made by magic. The only way to free yourself is either with a blade like I, or by casting another spell." Cyliss turned and the old lady was back in her chair watching him with amusement. Damn she was quiet.
"So that really was magic then, what you did to my stomach?" Cyliss asked, excited for the first time since he woke up that morning.
"It was a healing spell. Have you never seen one cast before?" She asked surprised.
"Ah... Of course I have." On a TV. "But this is the first time I had one done on me."
"Sounds like you've had a very fortunate life, to never have been injured before, especially at your age. Did you just start adventuring?" She inquired suspiciously.
"Yeah I started just yesterday..." He trailed off as the old woman smiled knowingly as though he had just confirmed something she suspected. Not good, I think I messed up already.
"Enough questions, eat this." She held out a bowl with what looked like stew inside. "I may have healed your stomach but that didn't make it full now did it?" And almost in response to her question Cyliss's stomach made a loud rumbling sound.
"I guess that answers that" Cyliss laughed in response. He thanked her for the food and dug in. Cyliss was amazed by the flavor, it was so rich and warm. He scarfed it down, noticing that while he did so, the old woman didn't take her gaze off him once. After a few more bites he remembered something, swallowing his mouthful he turned toward the woman again. "How did you know I was thinking about how old you look granny?"
"I can read minds, the dumber they are the easier they are to read. And stop calling me granny, it makes me feel old. Call me Mahima" She snapped.
Cyliss looked at her in amazement, "Can you teach me how to read minds granny Mahima? And maybe some magic too, that was amazing!"
The woman sighed "I can teach you the magic if I felt so inclined to do so brat, but the mind reading thing is special to me alone."
Damn it would have been nice knowing what everyone was thinking, or wait what if everyone hated him in the future... Maybe its better not knowing everyone's opinions on him Cyliss thought self consciously. "Yeah that is a down side but this power of mine has saved my life on more than one occasion."
"It does seem useful in that regard you're right. But will you granny?"
"Will I what brat?"
"Teach me magic? Pretty please?" Cyliss begged.
"Now you don't need to flatter me." Mahima stared begrugdingly at him for a moment, her lip stuck out as if in thought. She suddenly sighed, drooping her head in defeat.
"Might as well teach you. If I sent you back through those woods without teaching you a spell or two you'd end up on my doorstep again in even worse condition." Cyliss smiled uneasily, he was majorly stoked to learn magic, but he had to go back into that forest eventually? And he could be worse than he was, he almost died! Cyliss struggled back in forth in between these lines of thoughts while holding his poker face.
"Of course, monsters are everywhere in that forest. That reminds me, what gave you that wound?" Mahima said pulling Cyliss back to the conversation at hand.
"I fell onto a stick." He said flatly trying to be normal.
"And I'm worried you'll attack me" Mahima laughed hysterically, waving her arm and the ropes flew off his feet.
"Well I was being attacked by a wolf-squirrel thing." Cyliss responded indignantly
"Wolf-Squirrel I've never heard of anything like that before." Mahima huffed as her laughter seceded but it was a little forced and she didn't look him in the eye.
Cyliss sighed as he furrowed his brows in thought. How could he explain it in a way someone could understand, he's never been in this situation.
"It was small and fluffy buy had a mean looking face, a snout, and two sets of fangs."
"Oh you mean a wabanix. I'm surprised to managed to live without any weapons or magic."
"I killed it with the stick that stabbed me." Cyliss said embarrassed for seeming so badly prepared for the forest. It was like going into public without pants but deadlier.
"Well that wasn't very sanitary of you" Mahima laughed. "Are you finished with that?" She pointed toward the now empty bowl.
"Yeah, thanks it was delicious granny!" Cyliss held it out to her.
"What do you think you're doing go wash it yourself brat, the streams out back. Something is really wrong with the youngsters these days, trying to make an old woman clean your dishes."
"I thought you didn't like being called old?" Cyliss asked smugly.
"Oh so you did hear me." The vein popped out of her forehead again before she chased him out the door, swinging the knife behind him as he ran, slamming the door behind him as he exited outside. Damn, fell for that one. Well at least I get to learn magic, so I guess that's worth almost dying twice. But he couldn't help but wonder how long he'd have to live around this granny. An orange hit him in the back of the head. Mahima's voice came from the window closest to him, "hurry up before I lock the door and change my mind." Yup definitely going to die Cyliss thought as he began walking toward the stream. The cold air blowing in his face causing a shiver to run down his spine. It must be close to winter, he thought, frowning as the picture of the hut came to mind. "The next couple of months are gonna suck." Plunging his hands into the cold ass stream to scrub this dishes. "Definitely" whined, hanging his head in defeat much like the old woman.