Magic Bites (Editing)

Chapter 3: Kept in the dark

Vincent and Eric left Yamsa quickly after their incident with the slavers.  Vincent had told Eric to wait for him at the cities walls, beside the stables, while he retrieved a few of his belongings.  When he had returned he was carrying two reasonably large sacks, containing items only known to him. Then Vincent used his magic to “commander” a pair of horses which he said he had replaced with a respectable amount of gold.  The journey from Yamsa to Tuscin was half a day’s march, and considering they started the trek before dawn, Vincent assumed they would reach Tuscin in time for lunch.

 The sun was rising from its slumber, to again watch the world around it. Birds and other animals were waking from their own sleep, and welcomed the warmth from the sun, that was rare during the lead up to the winter months.  Eric was paying little attention to his surroundings, not due to tiredness, he slept most of the journey, Vincent making sure he didn’t fall off, the hazelnut stallion he was on. Eric’s ignorance towards the animals and miniature forests, that dotted the plains this far north, was because of the sapphire ring, Vincent had given him when he had woke. The gem was square, with slanted edges, which made it look as though it flowed into the dim grey silver that held it in place.  In crusted in the sapphire was a lion, standing on its hind legs with its front paws at ninety degrees, as if it ready to swipe at a fast approaching threat; etched on the ring itself were symbols Eric had never seen before.

“Magnificent isn’t it?” Vincent said also admiring the ring.

 “Where did you get it?” Eric asked as he handed it back.

“A strange little woman gave it to me, blind from what I could tell, said that I would need it soon.  Wouldn’t let me leave until I took it, left before I paid for it too. She was right about me needing it, four days after I got it I met you” the sorcerer replied.  Noticing Eric’s out-stretched hand he added “Keep it, it’s yours.” Eric retracted his hand and slipped the ring on his finger, a fond look amid his features, “The woman must have known I’d see you rob the man’s cart and take you on as a student.”

“How though?” Eric questioned

“No idea, good thing she did, never the less. Those rings are extremely hard to come across”

“What?” Eric turned to look at Vincent confused. “I thought it was just a ring.

“It is and, it isn’t.  That ring has magical properties; developed by sorcerers decades ago.  You remember what I told you about how sorcerers’ magic works”

“Yeah, we don’t need items to use our magic but we have a limited reserve” answered Eric trying to see the reason for why Vincent was asking this question.

“Yes that is the basic concept.  This ring is an exception to the rules.  It acts as a focus and storage.  The sapphire there” Vincent pointed to Eric’s ring “is able to store magic that would usually build up in you.  It stops us having to use magic when it is unnecessary and enables us to use greater amounts of magic than we would be able to use normally before it becomes too exhausting.  I have one of the rings......” Eric began to drift off and started to watch things around him now, nodding ever so often to make it seem he was actively listening to Vincent.  Now I know why the kids looked on the verge of becoming the living dead in the school at Yamsa mused Eric.  Every now and then his mind would return to the present and he would hear bits of Vincent’s lecture of magical gems, the only reason he didn’t realise Eric’s mind kept wandering off “.... there are similar stones in my sword....” before his mind would wonder off again. “Most people have these magical stones and............. some are made into .......bracelets and pendants.”

“What was the last thing you said” Eric asked abruptly, something Vincent had said had triggered a thought, but he could not pin-point it.

“What pendants” Vincent replied