Elements of Change

More Than a Weapon

It took a week for Ezo to finish reading all of Jacob's journals. There was a lot of information about his journeys and passions, but nothing about his personal life. No mention of Ezo. No mention of Fairhills or his parents. It was the account of an elementalist and nothing more.

Not that it wasn't a valuable resource, but Ezo needed his uncle's personal journal. He still hadn't found it.

He set down the last journal and rubbed at his tired eyes. Mountainkeep was quiet, and he had no idea where Remec and Kammon were. Ezo needed to move, though, to get out of the dark rooms and stand in the sun for a few minutes.

He left the library and headed outside.

It was late afternoon, and a cool breeze drifted through the area. Ezo walked away from the entrance and down a trail that led further into the trees. A river ran through the woods, and Ezo followed the path toward it.

He closed his eyes when he reached the water's edge, listening to it bubbling over rocks and fallen logs. The sun fell on his face, and his shoulders relaxed. He stretched his arms up over his head and twisted a bit. He needed to remember to do this more often.

When he looked around, he realized a figure was sitting on a rock in the middle of the river.

"Kammon?"

Kammon had his eyes closed, his hands resting in his lap. He looked up slowly, taking a moment to find Ezo.

"Ezo, are you okay?" Kammon asked.

Ezo smiled. "I'm fine. Stiff. I came out for a walk. What are you doing out here?"

Kammon pointed at his chest. "If I meditate a few times a week, this thing inside me is quieter."

"I didn't mean to interrupt."

The bubbling grew louder as blocks of earth burst from the surface. "Join me." Kammon offered.

Ezo jumped across the steps that his lover had created, and sat with his back against Kammon's. The stepping stones fell into the water, and it quieted again.

"What can I do to help?" Ezo asked. "You won't let me try to heal it."

Kammon tipped his head slightly, and Ezo felt the soft brush of his hair against his ear. It tickled, and he smiled, though he refused to move. This was nice. They'd spent every day reading, and Ezo only slept when Kammon forced him away from the books, exhausted.

"Trained healers have tried, Ezo. Including Alvrey."

He frowned at the mention of her. He felt guilty for leaving them the way he had, but he still believed he'd done the right thing.

"How did it happen?" Ezo asked. "You don't talk about your past. Tell me."

Kammon's back expanded against his as he took a deep breath. "It's not a happy story. I don't remember my younger days. I was a street rat. They found me when I was seven and brought me to the University. I had a hard time of it. I wasn't very trusting, and I had more power than my teachers."

"They were afraid of you."

"Very, and I knew it. Not only was I still growing strong, but it was fire, and most of my teachers couldn't touch it. It's a rare element to have a talent for."

"It's not my strength either," Ezo admitted.

"So when I finished university, I became War-Sworn. That was when I felt this for the first time." Kammon tapped on his chest again. "I assumed it was part of the Vow, this creature that feeds off my power. It seems stupid now, but I didn't trust anyone enough to ask about it. And everyone knew about the drain that happened after you took the oath."