The Arkanist

The Heart Sea

The Heart Sea

Jakn’s head throbbed. His eyes stung and his mouth was dry. Vena stood over him, her hair bright as the snow around them. It took a minute for his pupils to adjust from the sudden brightness.

         “I’m alive, right,” Jakn said, somewhat dazed still. “This isn’t a strange dream or anything?”

         “Well, I can tell you this is definitely not a dream,” said Vena. “And you’re certainly not dead.”

         “Well that’s a relief,” said Jakn, rising slightly, then falling back to the snowy ground.

         “Quite a show you gave last night,” said Vena. “It was exceptionally done, really. The fire, you know.”

         Jakn stared at her and shook his head. “What did I do with the fire? Honestly, I have no clue. All I remember is some light and a flash and then, bang, I’m here with you.”

         “Well, it’s hard to say, you see,” said Vena. “I’ve never seen anything like it really. I don’t even know if what I saw was what really happened. But if you want to know, you kind of screamed really loud and threw these whips of fire at the thieves and they all burned, then, this is the part that I think you passed out on. You see, you summoned this massive wall of fire behind you and then smashed it down on you and the thief and I just saw the flames engulf both of you. It was quite scary really.”

         “Glad to know I almost killed myself,” said Jakn. He tried to stand, but fell down again. “We should be going though. The Heart Sea is close, and word of the tavern brawl has probably reached your patron’s ears by now.”

         Vena laid him down instead. “Not so sure about that one, Jakn. Since you’re barely able to speak to me right now, I think tomorrow would be better to start off along the road to the Heart Sea. We’re quite close, you know.” She began erecting a tent and a fire. “We’re a fair league and a half off the main road now. I think we can risk staying here for the day.”

         “We’ve already risked our fair share,” said Jakn. “Fancy we can risk a little more I guess.”

         The day passed slow and cold, and the night raced by like a shadow. Jakn felt better as the hours trudged by, and his head evened out. His eyes straightened and his mouth grew from dry to frozen. The next day they were walking at the break of day, the orange glow seeping down through the clouds and flushed over the grey earth gold, like oil. Jakn hobbled slightly, leaning on a bent wood stick he’d found at their campsite. His leg still lanced with pain as he pressed down his weight, the bone seeming to shudder with his muscles.

         They had passed several merchants and knights and tinkers plodding down the road from the fields, yet they never saw them. Jakn was thankful they’d not taken the road, for by now their purse would already be empty. Jakn asked Vena for the coin purse as they walked, and as fit it under his cloak pocket, he felt it to be the same amount as before, if not heavier. Maybe Vena had looted the thieves. It was a smart move.

         The sky had begun to darken as they reached a rocky stone ridge, and cast their eyes upon the Heart Sea. The water was icy and grey, spreading forever onwards into a deep haze. The sundering sunlight shimmered against the silvery water, dancing with flame. Small waves crashed on the muddy rock banks, somewhat frozen. Jakn could not tell where the sea ended, by a far distance south he could make out the river Haeril, which snaked through the land, wending its wide body. Down below them, maybe a league or so away, Jakn could see the port city of Faerid, the City On The Sea, as others call it.