Tara & Tal - A sword age

3. Chapter - Rock Candy

As the sun sunk behind the far mountains, Tal stood before a door. He rubbed his wary eyes and let out a yawn. The whole day—birthday—he had spent on the receiving end of congratulations and gifts. So many, in fact, that he had lost count.

Tal opened the door.

It was a small room, with a tea table in it, and at that table sat Tara on a cushion. In her hands, she held a cup of tea.

On the table stood a small box. A bunch of light-blue crystals peeked out.

"How was it?" Tara suddenly asked.

Tal looked up from the box.

"... The party. How was it?"

"Good ... good cake," he murmured. "There is a piece left for you in the kitchen if you want."

"I ... I don't really like sweets." She pressed her lips together. "But ... If you want, you can take yourself some tea."

"Ah, sure." Tal poured himself a cup and looked once again at the crystals in the box. "What are those?" he asked, pointing at them.

"Hmm? Oh, I found them in front of your chamber. Apparently, it's a gift from one of the mines in our empire."

"So, are they any valuable?"

"For the most people, probably not. And for us..." she shrugged. "No, I too can't think of any real use for them."

"Hm..." Tal took one of the crystals out of the box and held it up. A pale blue light shimmered through it. He narrowed his eyes; something small moved through the inside of the crystal. "What the Hel?"

Fine cracks appeared on the surface under his touch, and with a fizzle, the something broke out of the crystal and shot up toward the ceiling.

"I am free!!" a light voice exclaimed. The something sank down a bit, still floating. It appeared to be a small humanoid – a girl – that walked through the air.

"Hello," Tal said, waving at her.

"Huh?" She tilted her head, watching him with big beady eyes.

"What exactly are you?" Tal asked.

"I—I'm not quite sure. What are you?"

"She is a minor deity," Tara commented. "A Vanir. She exists to fulfil someone's desires."

"Like a Genie?"

"Not quite. She doesn't have any serious magical abilities."

"Excuse me?"

"Once the Vanir were quite powerful, but they had a feud with the real gods and then there was a war, and they fell."

"I'll show you who's a real god, Missy!"

"Well, that kind of reminds me of someone else, actually."

"I don't know what you're getting at. I never lost any war." She took another sip from her cup. "And I don't intend on losing either. The other thing is, why do I even have to explain all this stuff to you?"

Tal scratched his head. "Huh, I guess I have never paid much attention back then."

"You're kidding, right? What kind of god are you? The god of idiocy?"

"No ... or at least I do not think so."

"You don't think so? What's that supposed to mean? Don't tell me you don't even know what kind of god you are."

"I—well, no, I cannot remember."

"How can someone forget, what god they are? Is that even possible? I mean, apparently it is, but wow, you're a total screw up."

"What kind of god are you?" He asked.

"Seriously?" She sighed. "Well, what would you guess?"

"Why am I here?"

Both of them looked up at the Vanir, she floated over the table and looked more confused then ever.

"Oh, right." Tal snapped his finger. "Could I get a sugar cube for my tea, please?" He pointed at a container right in front of him on the table.

"You know, they're no playthings," Tara said.

"I'm a being of pure energy!"

"Sure, I am just experimenting."

The little being pressed up a sugar cube and jumped up in the air flying. The sugar cube was a whole bit bigger than itself.

"Hey, they are like ants," Tal said.

"N-No ... we're ... not..." panting, the Vanir tumbled down, still clinging to the sugar cube. Tal jumped forward and caught them.

"Like I said, they're mostly useless." Tara smiled lightly. "And for clarification because you obviously didn't notice it before, I am a wind goddess, what else."

* * *

Almost a week of waiting went by.

Tara didn't leave her room to eat, so someone had to bring her food. It was quite an intense form of waiting.

But Tal didn't mind, at least he could sleep for as long as he wanted.

It was already getting dark, as the door of her room swung open and the silence that had fallen over the castle abruptly ended.

"It finally arrived!" Tara said to Tal, jumping up and down, like an excited puppy. In her hands, she held a letter in light blue paper. "We're now officially at war with the Aristice Kingdom. Our first battle will begin in a few days. Get your jacket and tell the soldiers, we'll set out today!"