Return of the Stormcriers

CHAPTER 36 - THE JEWEL OF THE PLAINS

  Exhaustion washed over Matt as he clung tightly to the pommel of his saddle, fighting to stay awake. Since burying Derek they had ridden on through the night and well into the next day in pursuit of Moonshadow and the men that ran with him. Now as the sun neared its peak in the sky they had been awake for almost a day and a half straight. As uncomfortable and tiresome as the journey had become, he understood that they could not afford to stop for rest with Moonshadow so close ahead. His head hung low over Taryon's neck as sleep threatened to overtake him but it seemed as if every time he gave in and allowed his eyes to close they would spot their quarry in the distance, small black specks on the horizon.

To keep his mind clear and force his body awake, Matt focused on the first memories that sprang to mind; Moonshadow rolling with inhuman speed to dodge Derek's arrow before throwing his knife in return with uncanny accuracy. He had never seen anything like it in his life. Any confidence he had held in their ability to kill the assassin had crumbled the moment he had seen the man in action.

   "How did he move so swiftly?" he asked aloud, "When he rolled out of the way of Derek's arrow. He ran so fast I kept losing sight of him."

   "Is it some form of magic?" Anthony joined into the line of questioning, looking towards his brother for an answer.

Will shook his head, "I have read about the augmentation of natural abilities through magical means, but I do not believe that is what we witnessed. That was something else entirely."

"Are we sure it was a supernatural power of some sort?" Reyna asked, appearing doubtful. "Perhaps he just has honed his abilities to be far superior over his years of work. There is a reason he is the most sought-after assassin on Eda, after all."

"Perhaps," Cliff answered for Will. "Though in all my years as an instructor, I have never seen any man move in such a manner."

"Which brings us back to the idea of some form of magic," Anthony said rather glumly.

  "No, it was not magic," Will repeated, I cast a spell as we approached Moonshadow that would have alerted me to the usage of any form of magic, and I did not detect anything when he ran."

"That raises a question I have meant to ask since I met you," Matt began slowly, turning to Will. "What can be done through magic? I am afraid the town where I grew up, was rather superstitious about the use of magic and sorcery. It was not a topic that could be brought up lightly and I never grasped a full understanding of its capabilities."

  "Much of Verden is of a similar mind, if not quite to the extent of Clearfield. Although, I have heard that some of the larger cities are a bit more accepting of the arcane arts," Will smiled despite his exhaustion, the opportunity to teach bringing a new wave of energy to his demeanor. "I believe the best place to begin my answer would be to explain that magic permeates throughout this world and in every living being, some just have greater reserves of strength than others. Magic, like any physical attribute, can be strengthened and grown over time, allowing its wielder to expand their capabilities upon careful practice. Every single person on Eda has at least a drop of magic in their blood; most people just have so little amount that it is practically unavailable to their minds and would be useless to employ. Some people, like me, and my mother, are born with the natural ability to access our magic in greater amounts than others; we are called sorcerers. We are an example of just one of the many kinds of magic in this world."

  "So it would be possible for someone like me to learn magic?" Matt asked intrigued and terrified by the thought. He had always been led to believe that unless one was born as a sorcerer, magic was impossible for them to command, much in the way his stormcrier powers worked.