Magika [Completed]

Chapter 9

After leaving the orchard, Aldeheid went straight back to his room at the Bastion. It was already midday, and the sun shined brightly though his chamber window, illuminating the mess that was his quarters.

He turned away from it and went down the hall to Berard's room. The door was ajar, but he knocked anyway, and Anha answered. She was dressed in leather and chainmail, a stark contrast to her usual, dressy attire.

"We were at your room a moment ago," she said, stepping aside to let him in. "Where'd you run off to?"

Their chamber was much nicer than his. Spacious, with larger windows, a vaulted ceiling and a garderobe. A shelf of books sat atop a cabinet that Aldeheid knew held bottles upon bottles of liquor from their home Nation. They deserved it since they actually contributed to the Bastion, unlike him. Berard was on their behemoth of a bed, running a file along the edge of a dagger.

Aldeheid leaned against the wall next to the door. "The Phantom Orchard."

"You didn't update us on how that went yesterday," Berard said, holding the blade up to the light to inspect it. "I'm guessing well since you went back a second time."

"I met Kitaya."

The dagger fell to the floor, its clamor occupying the silence. "Kitaya... the one who used to be a part of this Bastion? That Kitaya?"

"Indeed. You two were here during that time. What was she like?" Aldeheid looked at both of them expectantly.

"She was nice enough unless you got on her bad side," Anha said, narrowing her eyes at him. "Why?"

"I'm going to be. . . travelling with her." Another wave of silence crashed through the room, and he threw his hands up. "Is there something you two aren't telling me?"

"It's not that," Berard said, scooping up the dagger.  "You just met her two days ago, she threatened to pluck your eyes out, and now you're telling us you're going to be travelling with her to...?"

"The desert. To the Aiisha Bastion. And it's not as though I have any other options. I suppose you can consider this an act of desperation." Aldeheid shrugged. "And who knows, if I stick with her for a little while, maybe I'll run into Mellidius."

"Well, I suppose we'll just have to trust your judgment," Anha said. "Gallitel is sending us off to the north for a bit, so we won't be able to see you off. But you have our blessing." She reached into a nearby cabinet to pull out some alcohol. "Take this as a parting gift. It's the best brew from Abydon." She offered him the bottle of amber liquid.

"Come back to visit when you've settled down, alright?" Berard got up to give him a hug. "May the gods favour you."

"Thanks. For everything." Aldeheid wasn't sure what else he could say to them to make up for they many years of loyal friendship. For sticking by him through his many failures. He only hoped this wouldn't be the last he'd see of them.

After another round of goodbyes, Aldeheid returned to his room to tackle the daunting task of packing. He also needed to clean up the place and organize his belongings. Doing both at once would save some time.

As the day wore on, his room became less of the cluttered dungeon of knowledge he'd come to know, and more of a clean habitable space. His bed was used for the things he planned to carry with him while everything else was packed into his trunk or placed on top of it.

Aldeheid chose his strongest enchanted wear for the journey. Kitaya had mentioned nothing of the dangers they'd face – if any – but he wasn't taking any chances.

With his room in order and his bag packed, he gathered up his clothing, and went down to the underground spring for the last time. As he looked around the cavernous room, he remembered the days he'd drag himself down there, broken and bloody after brutal training sessions. He remembered the pristine water of the sunken pool running red with his blood and filth.