I always thought that talent wasn't needed to succeed, and I also always knew I was half wrong. Like everyone, there is things I succeed in, and things where I don't. But to me knowledge is the most important, it fixes to an extent both the lack of talent and experience.
It was a bright afternoon, and because it rained heavily for the past few days, a lot of gardening had to be done. Ein wiped the sweat of his brow has he dug his shovel into the soil, the scent of fresh and damp earth rising after each strike. Droplets still clinging to damaged leaves.
Under a nearby tree, his grandmother rocked in her chair, her gentle hands resting on her lap."Sometimes the rain brings good, and sometime chaos, we don't get to chose, and neither does it" she murmured, more to herself than to Ein.
Ein looked up, meeting her gaze "It feels like I'm doing it all for nothing, but It would be worth it if we get to save some turnips plants before April." he said, getting rid of damaged ones. "The market closes in a few days anyway, I'll go check if Don's father still has some meat left for us."
He grew up living alone with his grandmother, though there was no blood relation between them. She was an old woman, an acquaintance of his deceased parents, and the only family he had ever truly known. Long silver hairs framed her deeply lined face, and her sharp, blueish eyes held the weight of years she rarely spoke of. Despite her age and frailty, she cared for him as best she could, and so did he. Though neither of them had answers about what had happened to his real parents. Their deaths remained a mystery, shrouded in silence, even to the old woman who had taken him in. They both lived in a rather big house in a small hamlet, not far from the city of Ela, the capital of the region. They didn't really interact much with other people, except for the Minks family, of which Don was their eldest son, and besides, the only friend Ein had. Since heavy rains were known to drown the region all year, it was hard to have lasting crops, that's how the Minks family became quite wealthy merchants by providing consistent food sources.
"I'll wrap this up before the sun sets down and try to get in touch with Don, I need to go borrow some books at his house, and I will take the opportunity to speak with his father, I always wanted to learn about business, and Don didn't really take interest in it at all. In fact he is more interested in joining the military or the mage academy. He has the potential and the family recognition for both anyway."
All of Ein thoughts were not driven by jealousy but by genuine admiration for his friend. Although he was of course also tempted by these high achieving carriers, he was convinced it didn't suit him. He was spending all his time reading books and learning about way to many things, it also included the art of fighting and magic. In fact, it became what he spent the majority of his time reading about.
When it came to magic and despite his great knowledge, Ein had very bad control and low mana pool and output, which unfortunately were the 3 most important things for a mage, even a bad one. Still he was a "pretty good hand-to-hand fighter" as said by the guard of the Minks domain and Don himself.
"You've done enough for today, didn't you have something to do?" said the old lady, waking up Ein from his thoughts.
Mh, I should get going, or else I won't be able to find him if he goes on with his stupid everyday trainings.
"Grandma, I'm going now, I'll be back at night so I can't make dinner, there's some stew left from yesterday, eat that and don't wait for me." said Ein while storing his gardening tools in a hurry.
"Yeah, you're not a good cook anyway!"
Ein smirked but didn't argue. While making sure his grandma had no trouble to walk in, he put on a large brown coat and changed his dirty shoes for sturdy black boots, suited for walking and various exercises.
The city of Ela wasn't really a long walk from his house, but every time he went to see Don, they could walk around, spar, or do various things together for long hours before they realized its late. That's why he would be often be back home in the middle of the night. Sometimes he would even sleep at Don's place if it started to rain to much, as the road home became muddy and hard to walk.
They were known good friends, partly because Don was the son of one of the richest families around here, but also because they made a really uncommon pair, yet weirdly fitting. They were quite the opposite in fact, both physically and mentally. Ein was pretty tall, with mid length black hair and brown eyes, always soberly dressed with a calm demeanor, always eager to learn, not being to open to others. While Don was a bit shorter, with beautiful and long blond hairs and bright green eyes, dressed in a quite noble manner by his servant, he was sometimes mistook for a young lady because of his innocent face. He made sure to properly introduce himself every time he met someone new.
After about twenty minutes of walking in a hurry, He arrived at the city's entrance, greeting the guardian as always. She was a middle aged woman named Ellen Morales, in charge of registering the ins and outs of everyone entering Ela during the day, she was diligent in her work, but hopelessly overwhelmed by it. Ellen sat behind a cluttered desk, idly spinning a quill between her fingers. Stray strands of silver hair framed her face, slipping from a loose bun she never bothered to fix.
She met Ein's gaze with a smile. "Well, look who's in a rush," she mused, setting her quill down. Despite the endless paperwork before her, there was a warming lightness in her tone.
"Hello miss Morales, how is your day going?" asked Ein with a slight smile.
"You're in quite late today, as for my day, tiring as always..." answered the visibly tired woman.
"Indeed...Only two people in charge of the entrance for a city this big should be a crime, if you ever need a hand for a night shift, Don Minks said he would be happy to do it !" testified Ein with confidence.
He never said that.
"Ha-ha-ha, well I will be sure to remember that, anyway, just write your name in the register and you're good to go"
"Thanks, don't fall asleep let someone dangerous pass right after me!" chattered Ein.
Ellen laughed again, even harder, and proceeded to put her head in her arms until Ein turned away, pretending to sleep.
"I need to find him before it gets dark, we usually always meet around the market place, so I'll ask around there, if I don't get to see him, I'll go to the Minks' domain first and probably go back home."
Ein moved through the streets with steady steps, the damp air clinging to his skin. The city's architecture loomed around him, each structure built with a single purpose, to endure the weight of endless rain. Enormous gutters jutted above every shop and home. Thick pipes coiled around walls like iron veins, feeding into unseen channels that guided the water away before it could drown the streets.
Ein knew Ela like the back of his hand, each street and alley etched into his memory from years of wandering. He could navigate its bustling markets, rain-slicked bridges, and hidden pathways with ease, knowing which roads stayed dry during the heavy rains and which corners held the best spots to escape the cold. The city was a constant in his life, shifting with the seasons but never truly different.
The sky above was a dark gray, the kind that threatened rain without delivering it just yet. Ein pulled his coat tighter as he walked, his gaze set forward. -The scent of damp stone mixed with spices, or perhaps the smell of bread that stayed a bit to long on a shelf. He was getting closer to the market place.
Signs hung over doorways, their carved letters worn by time and weather. Wooden awnings stood strong, their reinforced beams were proof of past tempests.
He kept moving, his pace accelerating.
Ein quickly arrived at the market place.
"I'll go to Jalha's tavern and simply ask if someone saw Don.
Ah, it's closed. Why would it be closed on a weekday?
For the most popular tavern of a city of almost fifty thousand people to be empty at this time , on a weekday, something must be going on.
Thinking back I didn't see a lot of people on my way here as well."
"Is there someone in there?" Shouted Ein while knocking at the tavern's door.
No answer.
"Ah s**t, Is that a raindrop I felt on my shoulder?"
Suddenly, a numbing feeling ran through Ein's whole body, he experienced a abnormal pressure, and when he finally turned over, he saw a man standing there, his hand on his shoulder, staring at him. Even thought he had a large black raincoat, his body was visibly large and strong. He looked like those plague doctors, without the mask of course.
"It was not.
Who is this guy?
What is going on?
Why can I barely feel my shoulder anymore?!"
Before Ein had the time to make all his questions vocal, the man tilted is head slightly and said with an hoarse voice :
"Are you lost?"