With this my journey to the city began but it was nothing new.In the carriage it was still dark and I saw nothing. I would wish to see the outside world. In the village you musnt go behond the farm land that is surrounding the village if you are not a hunter. The forest starts from there on. Its inhabitat by mostly wild animals. They are one of our main food source. But these normal animals are not the main reason why its prohibited to go in there.Its because of demons. Sebastian once said that they are similar to mages so they are really strong. I feel a kind of dread now going so deep into the forest where we could met such being. Still these merchants have to somehow survive all those things. I still wish to go in there to see the beatiful world and now that I have the chance to I can´t. After some hours in to the journey it got boring and I had the Idea to strike up a conversation with Daniel.
"Hey Daniel"
"Yeah what is?"
came the answer back
"How much do you know about the outside world?"
"Mhmm more than your village probably"
"Thats amazing!"
My exitment overcame me to learn new things about the world out there and I started to ask a bunch of questions which I was interested in knowing.
"So why can we move through the forest savely withour encountering any demon?"
What are Titans? Why do humans fight each other? What is a Great Mage? How amazing are Mages with Space? Is such a disease as I have ..."
"Stop asking questions!"
Came a shout from the outside.
"I have no desire whatsoever to answer your question. Maybe in the city you will find somebody, that has the nerves to educate you, a kid that knows nothing about anything, but clearly its not me. I only took you with me because I got money for it."
I got silenced by the sudden outburst from him and lost the courage to ask anything else as I don´t want him to yell at me again. Throughout the whole conversation, if you can name it that, the carriage never stopt moving and we went deeper into the forest. I think. I was sitting in the darkness the entire time only the sounds of humming and the movements sounds of the carriage let me be sure about my situation. Still I can´t really tell how much time has past. Sleep was impossible for me as I can´t sleep on a carriage that shakes without pause. After a long period of time the carriage stoppt moving and I heared Daniel.
"Its already noon. We are gonna take a break here and tomorrow morning we will move on."
He paused for a few seconds.
"Do you want some food?"
"No, thank you I already have the food my mother gave me. It's the best food in the world"
I answered back wondering why he even asked. I thought he was not such a person.
„If you think so"
Marked the end of our little talk.After eating bread with potatos I was ready to finally sleep meanwhile hearing fire burning on the outside. I was so sleepy that I feel asleep fast. I got woken up by the movement of the carriage and It seems Daniel heared me wake up.
"So finally awake boy. Im sorry for screaming at you yesterday. Well I still dont plan to answer a majority of your question but I am willing to answer one."
"Really? Why?"
"Yes I do and why? Because I promised to take care of you and you should not die instantly in the outside world."
"Why should I die? It seems pretty save inside the carriage and we are going to a human city were we are save too. So what could go wrong?"
"Thats exactly what you completly lack. A lack of knowledge. You should not think of the outside world like your little village where everybody helps everyone. That doesn´t exist in such citys."
"So with this I come to one of your questions. Why do human countries fight each other? The answer is relatively easy its because of greed. Greed for power. Greed for riches. Even Greed for Woman. Everything you could imagine human will fight over it to get it for themself.
"Closely connected to it is the will to survive. Humans would do everything for surivival. So even humans will fight each other to get power and survive in a world where only the stronge can live a good life. The weak will die. Trusting another human is probably the most stupid things you can do except you want to die. That its brilliant"
"So nobody will help each other? You can't believe anybody? I can´t believe that."
"Look you are getting the hang of it. Still, even if you dont think anything of what I just said try to keep it in the back of your head."
With this the only sound that I heared was the movement of the carriage again. Day after day passed with little to no conversations between me and Daniel. Only occasionly we had a little talk about the answer he gave me to one of my questions. Multiple times I wanted to ask some questions about his private life like family or friends. I just wanted to know. It went the same as with the other questions. He cut me off nearly instantly. He even threathend me that if I dont stop asking questions he will throw me off the carriage. A threat I never want to be true so I shut my mouth. After about 10 days of driving the voice of Daniel suppriesed me.
"We will soon arrive in a village. It will be the only village we are gonna get through before we will arrive in the city."
We stood still for one entire day. I only heared Daniel negotiate with the villagers and they seems to have a much higher population than we have. The entire day new villagers arrivied and bought things from Daniel and sold their own. I wanted to meet those villagers but I simply didn't want to go out of this little space. A space that is safe heaven for me. A space where I can relaxe. More than once I could see Daniel getting stuff from the wagon i am currently in. Moments where I could feel the ants walking on my skin again. Letting me hope that he will not pop up again. To get out of here as soon as possible. As we began moving again I not only heared the voice of Daniel coming from the front but also somebody else's. The answer who it was answered as Daniel began to speak to me
„Kieran we have a new guest on our little trip to the city. He is called …"
„Wait Daniel I want to introduce me to him myself. And if I could ask. Why is he travelling in the wagon and not with you out here?"
„You can ask that himself"
„OK. Hello Kieran I am Miep (Wao). I want to go to the city because I want to be a mage. A prestige's mage to help other people, our country and most importantly get acknowledged by my family. I am a kid who can't do anything. No farming, no hunting and anything you can find in a town. So I want to prove …"
„Yeah we understood you good-for-nothing. We don't need to know your life history."
„I understand. Oh I nearly forgot. Why are you in the wagon and not out here?"
„I suddenly got an illness which doesn't let me step into the sun. I feel pain when the sun hits me. And now I am on my way to a city to go to a doctor"
„Ohh you poor boy. Maybe I can help you if I become a mage. But isn't a doctor really expensive? Can you really afford it?"
„Our village chief said that the money i have should be enough to Visite a doctor".
„It is good that he thinks so but i am not really sure if his experience is the truth as the price is warring often. But no worry if your money is not enough you can meet me again. If we arrive in the city I will show you the place"
„Thank you for your help."
I waited a bit as I was unsure how he would react. The two outbursts from Daniel firm in my head
„Sorry to ask you but do you have anything against questions?"
„No. Why do you ask?" „Oh you mean because of Daniel. Hahahahah that seems so like him"
„Hey shut up"
„Hahahah"
„Oh so we have another candidate that wants to get left behind in the forest"
„Okay okay I will stop"
„Little kid. I have no problems answering your questions if I even can"
„Really. So what are Titans?"
„Ohh such a interesting first question and you know what i barely know about them I can only say some things about them. They are one of the strongest races out there even comparable to humans. And if you talk about how they look. It's just as amazing. They are titans. They are as big as some mountains out there. If you stand near one its like the darkness overcame you. It's fascinating. Well, that is what I heared about them from other people. I never saw one myself. I don't know anymore than that. So ask your next question"
„Yes"
„So why can we move through this forest without encountering demons?"
„Ahhh a questions I can finally answer a bit proper"
„It should be because of a rune circle back in one of the carriage. Its a product of a mage. In our world the magic floods through those runes and activating a spell. It's camouflaging us to a certain decree so no demon can discover us. You could say its the safest place you could be in right now. You could even search for it if you want"
This descriptions got me exited. I searched after the candle I left behind here somewhere and I found it but in my whole excitement I forgot it wasn't even lighted. So I asked in a little embarresed voice.
„Ehmm do you have any way of lighting the candle?"
„Yeah I have. Just give it to me for a moment."
I wanted it so badly that I risked touching the light for a second to give the candle to Miep.
A minute later i got a lighted candle back. I was astonished as I didn´t know how he did it
"Do you have a kind of campfire out there?"
"Hahahaa. You can imagine thinks. I can proudly say that I am a kind of mage myself. Thats why I try to reach a city to become a real mage. To learn magic. To become someone usefull. To make ... Oh sorry I got into it again."
"You are a mage? Amazing, Amazing I wish to see it too what you can do."
"Well ... Its only small tricks I can do that I learned myself. Its nothing too hard and hearing your exitement I think I only can disappoint you with what im able to do. Also dont forget your original purpose"
"Ohh right thank you"
So finally seeing some things since a rather long longer period of time. Stuffed here were sacks probably full of food. Some containers contained certain materials that looked like rocks just in different colors like black or even green. Furniture was also stacked on one side of the waggon.After a while of avoiding most of the stuff I got to a small circle and what I saw in there was mind baffeling. Visible to me was a circle full of characters I have never seen before. They looked like some kid scribbled randome things onto a pice of paper but the pressure I felt just looking at those made me imagine a rock pressing down on me. A experience that just made my fantasy of becoming a mage just a thousand times realer. Something I could not have imagined before witnessing it myself.But that was not all. In the circle stood a cube. So white that It was like looking into the sun. No not in to the real sun. A sun whitout the blending light. I did not end there. Ontop of this mysteries block was another circle just more complicated than the one surrounding it. There seemed to be a lot more characters integrated into it. More mysteries and complicated. And in this circle was a floating ball. A floating ball also surrounded by many circles of lines drifting arround this seemingless normal ball. A floating ball? How it this even possible i wondered. I couldn´t believe it so there has to be something between them. I reached out to see it for myself but I couldn´t even come close to it. Something blocked me. I was so supprised by touching something I can't see that I instantly retracted my hand and let out a shriek.
"Is everything okay back there?"
came a concerned voice from Miep.
"Yes everything is fine. There was just something. I think it was invisible. It suprissed me"
I answered back my voice quivering a bit.
"Oh sorry boy."
Daniel said in probably the most sarcastic voice he could do.
"I didn´t tell you. The artifact is surrounded by a magic circle protecting it so most cannot even damage it. In the first place I haven´t thought it would scare you like a little bunny."
"Hey I was not scared I was just supprised thats all"
"Whatever you think boy"
"Stop teasing the kid Daniel"
Silence followed. Those two probably starring at each other or so I imagined it
"So Kieran was it breath taking?"
"It was. It was just so better than I could ever dream of what a mage can do. So So So much better! I fantasied a lot about it but it it it was ..."
"Woah there kid. Not even I was that excited when I awakend"
"Awakend? What do you mean by that?"
"It seems you both get along well with each other but I need to interrupt your little conversation so It doesn't get out of hand. Its getting dark and I want to rest in peace."
Miep continued like he never heared Daniel talking.
"We can discuss this topic tomorrow if you want. I could also come into your little space and show you the magic I can do."
"That would be so cool."
"Then its decided."
The wagons came to a standstill and I again feel asleep quickly and the next morning came where I got woken up by the movement of the wagon again.With an exited
"Good Morning"
I began the day as I heared Daniel and Miep having a little talk. The day went on normal till finally Miep came into the wagon. Miep was a short, slender and meak man he is nearer to my figure than any of the adults in our little village. He had blond brown mixed hair and clothes that seems to be much better than the ones I were. He sat down in my little space that was my home for the last ten or so days. At first we talked a little bit about our life so far. To say that our life's was the total opposite so far if I take out my last month is not a overstatement. His life was full of misery. Since birth he had such a weak body he had to lay in his bed most of the time and coudn't do anything. He told me that his Family cared for him a lot in the beginning but after years the support got less and less his family never told him why. He thinks their hope for his recovery depleted after some time and they just saw him as a reliable. A person who will just feed away at their food but will give them nothing back. That wasn't the first time I got told a story that is not the imagine I had from the outside world at all.It was nice to hear but that is not what I am interested in right now as he had to still show me his magic. So I interrupted him.
„That is sad to hear but could you show me the magic you have told me about yesterday?"
After I finished my sentence the smile that was on Miep the whole time seemed to turn sad and forced. Was it because of me?
„What's wrong? Have I done something wrong?"
He shacked his head an continued with a sad sounding voice
„No you have done nothing wrong. Surely I can show you my magic trick"
He lifted up his hand and within a couple tens of seconds a small flame appeared on top of one of his fingers.>It was an astonishing sight. A flame appearing out of nothing.
„How did you do it?"
I asked a question I couldn't hold in for even another second.He began looking at the floor so I coudn't see his face.
"If I concentrtate myself alot I can feel certain ... how should I describe it ... certain particals or small corn inside my body. We call it mana. I can control this mana and move it out of my body which creates this little flame. I can do this since I awakend.
"If you awaken, your body is building a mana core where all your mana is stored. My family explained to me that every beeing can awaken a mana core but have to meet a certain condition. What kind of condition you might want to knoiw but thats probably different from being to being so nobody knows."
"So even I could awaken as a mage?"
"You can but don't get your hope up. Becoming one is as unlikely as meeting a Titan in your life."
After the explanation I just got more exited then ever. Myself becoming a Mage was just a distant dream, but now it could actually be fullfilled.
"Then what are you going to do as you will be a Mage?"
"What I will be doing? With my lack of Power I certainly will be a Researcher. Searching for new runes, new spells. All things that will change the World of Sorcery forever. That Is what I will become."
A loud laughter echoed as he ended his sentence that came directly behind them.
"Hahahaha, I cant believe you even have such thoughts. Are you as naive as that little child? Have you ever seen a real mage in Action? What kind of Power they have and how fast they vanished from the crust of the earth? Having the ability to freeze an entire Mountain but still dying a miserable death the next second? With your measly potential it would be a wonder joining the ranks of the mage society. You have a higher chance of making an cleaning stuff. But who am I to crush the dreams of people that lie to themselves."
A rant that seemed to have crushed the atmosphere and Miep went completly silent but the next second he seemed to get angry.
"Why should I believe your words? You have no Idea of how heigh I will rise in the future. Till now I haven`t spent a single day training, so once I start I will surpass everyone that came before me with such an sppeed that even you old man will see me at the top. And once I am up there I will search for you. I will make sure to rub it in your face for the rest of your life on how wrong you were today."
"Getting angry at such a simple provocation, huh. The only thing you are tricking is your own mind. Ever heared of the Wonder Child? Half your age but already a Great Mage. This is someone who will achieve greatness, not such a dreamer like you."
Before Miep could retort I wanted to know more about the Wonder Child. Is it the same I read before in the Newspaper? She was also a Grand Mage.
"The Wonder Child? Do you know her?"
"What a dumb Question. Of couse I know of her. No one in this country shoudn`t know of her ... Well on second thought maybe some people far away from bigger citys and towns dont know of her. But those are far and few between. But if you want more details about her forget it. I probably dont know more than you. But more importantly we are in viewing distance of the city."
"Really?!"
I and Miep exclaimed at the same time. There was just one difference. As he stormed out of the wagon and to the side of the merchant I could only imagine the beatiful view he would see right now. I wasn`t brave enough to endure the sun one second longer than I already had in the past weeks.
"Hey Miep, could you describe the city to me?"
"Sure, sure i can do. But it will not be the same as seeing it yourself. Dont you want to come out?"
"No, I am fine."
I answered depressed
"Oh, sorry i forgot.