Mages of Rubia ✔️

Ch3

Azarius might not say much, but what he does say--other than questions--tends too cut deep and stay in my mind. I feel now like I'm not doing enough to help, because I'm not using my healing. But if I do, and they realize I've been doing unauthorized magic, I don't know what they'll do.

That's why I decide I have to go find more ingredients. I listen in on conversations the searchers have, drawing on a map where they've looked and where they know they can get supplies. Most guaranteed places are across enemy lines.

"Where are you going?" Azarius asks, following me as I go. I thought he was still asleep.

"To find ingredients. I can't just sit around and do nothing. Go back to the tower."

He stops me with a hand on ny shoulder. His eyes are dark and serious.

"I know where you can find some."

I pause. "How do you know that?"

He shrugs. "Recognized your plants."

"Can you show me on the map?"

Azarius stares at me. I take that as a no.

"This could be dangerous," I remind him.

He just starts walking.

"Why are your people so quiet?" I ask, "Even when you speak I can hardly hear you."

He hushes me, gesturing at some guards near the exit I planned on using. After a few tense minutes, they leave. The exit is blocked by rubble, but I climb over with ease, helping Azarius as well.

"We're quiet so we can hear danger," he says, "and keep it away from us. Your people seem to attract it."

"Your voice is so hoarse... do you even talk at home?"

"No." He continues walking, leading through the woods on silent feet.

After a while, he stops. "Pay closer attention," he whispers sharply, "You keep stepping on twigs. And you need to stop stepping so heavy with your heel."

"Why?"

Azarius rolls his eyes. "Woods are dangerous. Creatures."

"What creatures?"

He hushes me again, pausing to listen for a moment before moving on. It takes half an hour to get to our destination, a small town. It's entirely silent, and I'm not sure if its because the residents are luke him or because they're all gone.

"Is this your town?"

He nods. "Quiet, please."

I follow him as he leads to a house that I'm already sure is his. He pulls a key from his pocket to unlock a gate leading to the backyard. It's full of herbs we need.

"Holy--Why do you have this?"

He silences me, looking around urgently. "My mother. Just hurry and pick them, it's dangerous here."

I start picking the plants as fast as I can, pulling them up by the roots and sending them back to the tower with a spell.

He gestures at me to follow him into the house, jumping through a broken window instead of opening the door. When I do it, its much louder. He winces.

I follow carefully as he leads me down into a basement, flicking a strange switch that makes it brighter. I wince at the painful brightness and the strange stuttering quality of it.

"Sorry. I forgot you might not be used to electric lights," he mutters, going through boxes until he finds one with paper packets of seeds. They're brightly colored and strangely glossy.