Inheritance

Part 2. Chapter 1: Themistoklis

Themistoklis, or Them for short, was an unlucky waif who was cursed with so many misfortunes that he could hardly believe it. His most recent misfortune was being recruited by the Astral Elves to go die in the Crater of Resentment. But truly, his chain of misfortunes had begun years even before that.

Like all waifs, at the age of twelve, he was sent to the holy mountain to the north of Trella alone on a quest to trigger his magic—if he, indeed, had the capacity for magic, which many waifs did not.

At first, he had been excited. He thought once his magic was triggered on the mountain that he would have a long life of bliss ahead of him. He thought there was no other place to go than up, as his parents were banished from the waif homeland when he was six-years-old and he had had to live with an adoptive family ever since.

His adopted family did not treat him well and thought very little of him due to his former parentage. Although the children of those who were banished from the waif homeland were allowed to stay, that didn't mean they were well-liked or accepted.

It did not help that Them had somewhat of a penchant for getting into trouble. Because he did not like his adopted home—a little home with a thatched roof which sat in a mighty tree like all waif homes—he would often skip his schooling with the other children and go stir up trouble in his home village of Trauscus.

He was always starving.

He memorized the schedules of the other waifs in the village, and whenever he knew their homes were empty, he would sneak in, steal food and whatever else appealed to him, and then arrive late to the little schoolhouse which was a mile away from his own.

If he were ever caught doing this, he would be in trouble.

Most of the other villagers suspected it was he who was stealing their food, jewelry, and other items of interest, but because they had no proof, they could not accuse him directly.

Nonetheless, he was always regarded with derision and criticism by the other waifs and was otherwise ignored.

But Them was sure that once his magic was triggered upon the holy mountain that he would have to steal no longer. He was sure that he would gain enough magical power to be able to hunt efficiently on his own and would no longer have to deal with his adopted family giving their own children most of the food and leaving him scraps.

And so, he arrived at the foot of the gray mountain feeling elated.

He was not without his worries, however. Like all waifs--regardless of whether he was able to awaken the magic that may or may not be coursing through his veins--if he didn't come back to the village on his own, no one would come looking for him.

All around the mountain which shot high into the sky was a ridge jutting out from it that curled around the mountain in an odd spiral—like an intelligent creature had made it. This ridge made it easy to scale the mountain; no special equipment was required. All a waif needed was their own feet beneath them.

And so, Them began his adventure in high spirits.

He walked for an hour on that ridge and expected to see a vision that would allow him to tap into the magic that could be coursing through his veins. The weather was warm--the mountainside was jagged with sharp rocks. Them was sweating egregiously—so much that he felt it dripping from his forehead and into his eyes. His legs began shaking and his stomach growled at him angrily.

He blinked and thought he saw something glowing in an unearthly light through the sweat in his eyes, but when he blinked it out, the unearthly light disappeared. Two hours later, he passed out from the heat and didn't expect to wake up again.

But wake up he did.

And when he awoke, his muscles were still weak. He tried to lift himself to a sitting position, but he collapsed instead.

He blinked rapidly and saw that he was no long on the mountain. He was back in the green, shaggy forests of Trella, and he was looking at the feet of a creature he did not recognize.

He tried, again, to pull himself to a sitting position, and this time, he managed it. He sat up and saw that his rescuer was something out of legend. It was a will'o the wisp, a two-foot-tall, round and plump creature with an especially big head that doubled the size of its body. It wore a tattered, brown cloak over its shining, white body. Round, black eyes blinked at the waif from under the cloak.

The wisp floated effortlessly just two feet above the ground and inspected the waif with intrigue.

"Have I lost my way?" Them asked.

Them looked down sadly. "That's how the stories go. Wisps come to people who have lost their way..."

__

While waiting for the large, horse-drawn carriage to begin moving, Them had drifted off into a wakeful dream about the past. He awoke now as there was a bump in the road that jolted his eyes open.

Across from him in the carriage sat many creatures of different species. There was an elf and a dwarf on either side of an old, human woman with dark skin and a...

Them grinned from ear-to-ear. "Hello, beautiful! I thought I'd never meet you in person! Why are you wearing a man's clothes, though?"

The fairy, who had been sleeping, opened his eyes and looked at Them in confusion.

"Who are you?" Eory asked.