The Dreaming Land

Chapter 18: Fort Velishad

Now that the group was prepared, they decided it was time to keep moving forwards. As they left Kalice, Dean saw them off, wishing them the best of luck on their travels. He knew they'd need it, from what Orius had been talking about on the mountain pass. Somewhere along the way Reiner's traps were set up, awaiting their arrival, and once they got past them they'd have to face him.

The road out of Kalice to the next city over, Fort Velishad, was long and lonely. It would take them about two days to reach it. Without a cloud in sight to block the sun beating down on them, they quickly understood yet another reason why so few people chose to call this place home. In the distance, dust devils twisted and danced in the in the steady breeze, all alone.

Each time the group stopped to take a rest in the jutting ridges that cut into the landscape, Quintir had Misha practice some more with her shards. Though her display at the temple a few days ago had been impressive, she truly did need some training. The powers inside the shards were quite strong, and learning to harness her newfound gift would take a lot of time and practice.

"She's getting better." Imara commented.

"It really is impressive." Orius nodded.

"Quin looks like he's having fun, too." Imara smiled, taking a drink from her water skin.

"This is all new for him, too." Orius said, "Really I'm not surprised at how into this he's getting."

"Is it really that unheard of for someone to receive the power to control ice?" Imara asked.

"I wondered the same thing," Orius said, "so I asked him. Apparently it is. Pehrun rarely gives a gift that isn't fire, and in all of recorded history he's never heard of it being ice. It made sense to him, though. Fire is just heat, and ice is just a lack of heat. It all balances out, to him anyways."

"Ah, I think I get it." She nodded.

Misha accidentally froze part of the ridge, near where Orius and Imara were sitting. It was difficult to aim where her spells would go with just the stones. Usually mages had staves to help channel the energy, but they didn't have the means to make one right now.

"Sorry!" She called out.

"It's okay," Imara said, sighing in relief, "the cool air is nice."

"You're doing great!" Orius said.

"When we reach Fort Velishad," Quintir placed a hand on Misha's shoulder, "well have a staff made for you."

"How will that help?" She asked.

"The flat metal rings around the shard actually help to channel the energy," Quintir said, referencing his own staff, "and the little prongs between them help focus the spells."

"Shouldn't it work the same way if I just point it where I want?" She asked.

"Hmm, so that's how see it?" He nodded, realizing something she obviously didn't, "Perhaps you'd prefer a measure, then?"

"A measure of what?" She asked, blinking a few times.

"No, sorry," He laughed, "a measure is a type of instrument some mages use instead of staves. They're fairly uncommon, but I know a few people who use them. They're called a measure because they literally help you measure distances and the relativity of things."

"Like a sextant?" Orius interjected.

"Ew, you're gross!" Misha shouted, "Orius, you're so gross. A sextant? Is that some kind of toy?"