IABD 38: Departures

Matthias was faced with the most important decision of his young life.

Would he leave his home and family to develop a powerful foundation?

Or would he stay in Barrowgate and take a chance with his foundation: creating one that might be weaker?

He was torn. His mind in turmoil.

“You should not make your decision thoughtlessly.” Mistress Polla floated to the door of the meditation chamber. “I will give you time to contemplate and discuss with your family: this is a choice that will affect your path through life. And it should be a very long path.”

Matthias’ mind was racing. “What do you mean by ‘long path’?”

“To walk the path of Divine Breath is to step onto the road to immortality, Matthias. Even the first small steps you’ve taken will ensure a long life. Keep that in mind: you will have many, many years to either regret or benefit from the choice you make now. Do not make it lightly, search yourself, consult others…but in the end, you must rely on your own insight. The consequences of your decision will affect you most of all.”

“I understand,” he said.

“Mm, before you move forward. I want to make a change to your training, if you will accept it.” She floated in front of the door. “The sooner you make this adjustment, the better. Even if our ways do part, take this knowledge with you.”

“Alright,” Matthias said, taken off-guard.

“I want you to try performing Life Energy Circulation exercises while doing other things, such as when you are walking, eating, working, or even while you are speaking. Try performing two circulations with your soul as you engage in other activities and—on top of that—continue your concentrated circulation while meditating. This will advance you more quickly toward your ultimate goal.”

“What’s the ultimate goal?” Matthias asked.

“To have you circulating your life energy automatically at all times, constantly strengthening your channels: you do not direct the beating of your own heart, that is automatic, and that should be the same with your soul,” she said. “Try what I’ve suggested before your family arrives. Or save it for later. It makes no difference to me, but it might for you.”

“You mean right now, right away? Matthias seems stressed.” Bregindoure said, watching the mage.

The younger greatfolk felt like he was going to pass out.

“All the more reason to do it now,” Polla replied evenly. “Adversity breeds strength. Heat and the hammer beat steel into shape. Take advantage of the current heat of the situation to wield your hammer. Besides, focusing on the exercise might calm you and clear your mind. Now, excuse me while I go inspect the tower until my son returns.”

She left in silence, closing the door behind her.

Bregindoure’s eyes had remained on her. “She seems intense, doesn’t she?”

“I’ll say,” Matthias agreed, letting out a deep breath. “And so is this choice. But I expected something like this.”

“Well, I can say I certainly did not.” Bregindoure shook his head. “Are you going to try that technique she suggested? It might calm you, like she said.”

“Oh yeah, I guess so.” Matthias nodded. “Sounds like a good idea.”

The young greatfolk concentrated on his soul, his will falling over it. Its energy burned brighter than ever, flowing between his body and spirit quicker than when he’d first started circulating.

His every life channel was larger.

His every life channel was sturdier, ready to take in even stronger energies.

For him, contracting his soul had become simpler, and it became more natural to him with each passing day. Yet, that was when he was alone and completely focused on that task. How well would it work now that his thoughts were racing, his heart was pounding, and his mouth was dry from nerves?

The only way to find out was to just try it.

Taking a deep breath, he took a step forward while trying to contract his soul…

…and immediately discovered that it was far more difficult than when he was meditating.

If grasping his soul while sitting still was similar to trying to hold onto an oily stone, then trying to do it while agitated and moving, was like fighting to grab it while river rapids battled to pull it from his hand.

He tried to hold it; it slipped from his grasp.

He tried it again; it slipped away again.

After the third try, he paused, slowing down the process. He took a slower step, trying to pump his soul with more patience and deliberate purpose, while focusing his intention.

Matthias felt his will take hold of his soul again.

He began contracting it, the process was working…

…until it slipped from his grasp again.

“Damn, this will take a lot of practice,” he said. “I think—What?”

Bregindoure was looking at him as though he’d grown three heads. “Are you alright? What’s happening?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Why—” his words stopped. His breath was suddenly loud and wheezing, his entire body was trembling, and his skin was beaded with a cold sweat. A rushing sound pulsed in his ears. “What the…I feel like I just finished sprinting long distance.” He slumped down, sitting against the wall, catching his breath. “I thought doing it while meditating was tough, that was even more difficult.”

Bregindoure sat beside him. “Looks like Mistress Polla will be a hard teacher.”

“Well, I’m used to things being difficult. I’ll get it right.”

“I’m sure you will.”

They sat in silence until Bregindoure asked.

“Are you any calmer?”

“Yeah,” Matthias admitted. “Feeling so tired you’re about to lose consciousness does have a way of forcing you to calm down.”

“I used to do push ups in my tower on nights I couldn’t sleep.” Bregindoure rested his arms on his knees. “Doing them would slow my mind and tire my body until I could finally fall asleep.”

“Well, this is a bit more difficult than pushups,” Matthias took a deep breath.

“Looks like that to me.” Bregindoure gave him a sidelong glance. “So, have you decided what you want to do?”

Matthias sighed, looking up at the ceiling. 

“Brother, I’ve been here in Barrowgate for basically my whole life. There’ve been a lot of tough times, but good ones too. Especially lately. Look at today! Today was great! But now…now it looks like I could suddenly be leaving all of you, and that’s tough.”

“It would not be forever,” Bregindoure pointed out. “But it still sounds hard. I would miss you, Matthie. But if it’ll help you…” He let the words hang.

“It would, which is why I’m leaning toward going,” Matthias admitted. “I feel a bit guilty about that, but I can’t help but think of all the good I could do for myself, our family and even our kingdom if I went. I think there’s a lot of Haakons out there in the world, and many are bigger than he was.”

He gazed at the opposite wall, imagining a wilderness full of beasts, villains and conquerors all eager to take from others and crush them. “Sur Friya’s talked about those Artenesian elves so much that I’m starting to get worried about them. Then there’s that demonic tiger slipping through the barrier. It was an awful thing, Breg…” He shuddered, remembering its attack on his mind. “If it had had time to grow more powerful, things would have been disastrous. Then there’s father to worry about: Eklund’s been too quiet for a fortnight, I want to have the power to defend all of us against people like them.”

“Is that all, Matthie?” Bregindoure pushed.

Matthias thought about things a bit more. “No, it’s not. Beyond just defending myself…what if I could be great? My entire life I’ve been told I was nothing but fodder, and now people can see that I’m not. I want to be even greater, Breg. I want to defeat opponents, find treasure and walk with my head held high. I want to be able to go where I please without needing to be concerned about anyone.”

“Sounds like something I’d want.” Bregindoure agreed. “And I am not so selfish to stop you from finding the best way to get those things for yourself.”

“Thanks, but I’m not sure. What about Dagma and mother?” Matthias asked. “Would I be abandoning them and you?”

“I’m not a helpless prisoner anymore. I can help mother take care of Dagma. You don’t have to worry about that.” Bregindoure patted his younger brother on the shoulder. “Besides, as I said, it’s not forever.”

Matthias looked at his older brother. “Thanks, I—”

The door opened.

“My son is returning with your family.” Polla informed the Stonebreaker brothers. “There’s business that I must attend to with the adventurers you met earlier: I will go to the village while you discuss your future with your kin.”

She floated away without another word.

###

“For five years?” Dagma murmured. “That’s forever.”

“It could be shorter than that.” Matthias patted his little sister on the shoulder, trying to comfort her. “But it looks like if I want to walk the path I’m on, that’s what I must do, Dagma.”

The Stonebreaker family had gathered around Altaizar’s dining table, flame burned in the nearby fireplace. Altaizar tended it, his spectacle lenses reflecting the fire and moonlight; he said not a word while the others huddled together as though it would be their last time with one another.

Beggahasta faced away from the fire, leaving a shadow over her face. Her expression was unreadable. “I want what’s best for you, son. If this is what it will take to give you the best future, you should take it. I did my blood duty in Ghallaghar to the north in the Great Frostsea expedition. I was away from home for two years. Because I needed to be.”

“...and I need to leave home to grow stronger,” Matthias realised what his mother was saying. 

“It will pass quickly, Matthias. Quicker than you think.” Beggahasta’s eyes shone. “But still, I will miss you dearly, my child.”

“I am going to miss you too, Matthie.” Bregindoure clapped him on the shoulder.

Silence fell.

Everyone turned to Dagma, but unlike her older brother and their mother, she did not look sad.

She looked confused.

“Why are we all so sad?” she asked, eyes moving back and forth.

“Because your brother’s leaving,” Beggahasta said. “It’s a beautiful time for him, but a hard time for all of us. Maybe you’ll understand better when you’re older.”

“But why aren’t we going with Matthie?” she asked.

A hush followed her words.

Dagma continued. “Nothing’s keeping us here, right? We can all go together. You can train me, mother, then we get to be together, and I’ll get to see the legendary things Matthie will be doing.”

Beggahasta stared down at her daughter, her face twisting in a smile.

Matthias’ eyes were wide.

Bregindoure was making a hissing noise like he was deflating.

“How in the names of the Ascended did I not think of that?” Beggahasta asked herself. “If you’d have us, Matthias, it could work.”

“I think you didn’t think of it because you’re not used to me being free,” Bregindoure pointed out. “We can go wherever we wish, now.”

“That’s true!” Beggahasta gasped. “You could see more of the realm! But any of this can only happen if you’ll have us, Matthias.”

“Have you? I wanted to damn well insist that you come with me!” Matthias stood up. “You can keep training me in the Way of Stone and I can spend more time with Bregindoure and Dagma. And…there’s also an opportunity here. Eklund could do anything at any moment: he’s probably desperate now, right? But if everyone just leaves: what could he do?”

“You’re right!” Dagma shouted. “No more Eklund! That’ll be great!”

“But what about your friends?” Matthias asked her. “Like Lilfsten.”

“That’s okay, I will see them again. I want to be with all of you,” she insisted.

“Do we have the coin for everyone to go with me?” Matthias asked his mother. “What if you can’t earn enough coin taking on Wolfwood patrols?”

Beggahasta pondered the question for a moment. “We have the demonic-beast tiger parts to sell, and what we should get for them should fill our coffers for a long time. The thing is, we won’t need coin enough to last us five years, we only need enough to last one and a half to two years.” Her attention shifted to Bregindoure. “Now that you’re free, you’re subject to the blood duty when you turn eighteen, in two years, and it’s best if you do that here in the forest near Barrowgate. I know the woods around here well, and I can train you how best to survive them. Also, though I could ask Sur Friya to tend to our home for a year and a half, five would be too much.”

“I appreciate you teaching me, especially the surviving part,” Bregindoure snickered.

“Where would we sell the demonic-beast tiger parts?” Dagma asked.

Beggahasta turned. “Would you be interested in them, Altaizar?”

“I’m afraid not. Those parts do not hold much interest to me, and I wouldn’t be able to give you a very good price,” Altaizar said after a moment’s thought.

“Then we have two solutions: we could wait to sell them to the merchants that pass through Barrowgate, but they won’t be here for at least another month for their final autumn visit before fall comes. Which leaves the great markets, and the closest one would be…” She made a face. “Dagger Rock.”

“Now there’s a rough place,” Altaizar mused. “But one of mother’s friends lives there…or rather lives in a manor near there: of course he wouldn’t live directly in the bosom of that latrine of rogues, sellswords, cutthroats and thieves. He likely would not live near Dagger Rock at all if it did not contain one of the greatest markets for magical artefacts, curios, relics, and materials harvested from Wolfwood monsters in all the north.”

“I’ve sold materials at the Dagger Rock markets in the past,” Beggahasta said. “There are few places where you can get such high prices. They should fund us for a year and more, with ease.”

“Oh, I want to see those markets!” Dagma said excitedly. “There might be magic swords there!”

“As do I.” Bregindoure’s eyes gleamed. “Magic swords, shields, armour and other old things from the Wolfwood. I’ve read about them, but to see them, by the gods!”

“It does sound legendary,” Matthias said, wondering if he could perhaps find something he could trade for the tiger’s core…like a weapon forged using The Gift or something that could help his cultivation of Divine Breath. “I definitely want to go there.”

Altaizar raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to take your children to such a cesspool, Beggahasta?”

The warrior woman gave him a fierce grin. “This is High Evalmera, Altaizar: a land united by blood spilled, bloodlines joined, glories intertwined, and the raw strength of the spear. We are a warrior people, and my children will triumph over the beasts of the Wolfwood: they are not so soft that they have to be shielded from such a place.” She banged her fist on the table. “We are going on a journey, children!”

Cheers rose from the Stonebreaker siblings: their earlier worries had vanished in favour of excitement and the anticipation of adventure.

Meanwhile, Altaizar stayed back, looking on in silence.

He shook his head. 

“What an odd family,” he whispered. “But then, who am I to judge?”

###

It was the morning after the Stonebreaker family had made their decision, and the sunrise was peeking through gaps in the clouds.

After heading home from Altaizar’s tower, they had returned there in the morning to discuss their decision with Mistress Polla.

They did not find her there when they arrived, though her carriage stood nearby.

What they did find was Altaizar, ready to leave. 

The mage’s transportation was nowhere near as fanciful as his mother’s, simply being a large, well-made wagon filled with a mountain of his worldly possessions. Books, scroll cases, chests and more items were piled so high, that the entire mound could only have been held together by the mage’s will. Otherwise, everything would have toppled over in an avalanche that would have crushed poor Lord Bloodweep.

Hanging upside down from a stand bolted down beside the driver’s seat, the bat slept the day away, unlike the pair of horses hitched to the front of the wagon.

They pawed the ground restlessly, despite the great pile of the mage’s baggage looking impossible for them to bear.

Altaizar stood beside them, saying his final goodbyes to the family he’d served for many years.

“It has been an honour serving you.” Altaizar bowed, the morning sun catching his silver locks. “Each time I have taken a trip to Barrowgate it has been a pleasure.”

“I’m going to miss you, Altaizar.” Matthias bowed in return. “You’ve helped me in so many ways. Ways that I cannot even begin to voice.”

“Don’t thank me too quickly,” Altaizar warned, all smiles. “I had my own motives.”

“Even if you had your own motives, you helped me anyway. I’ll always appreciate that.” Matthias smiled back.

“We all appreciate you,” Bregindoure added. “Especially me. For years—when the entire world, even my own father—tossed me away, you came up here and tried to help me gain the Rune of Clarity. And in a way, you did, by helping my brother. I am indebted to you.”

Altaizar smiled up at the giant. “I am simply glad to see you walk free. Your freedom means great new things for the both of us. You can walk your path, and I have very exciting new horizons to explore, thanks to all of you. We leave the shadows of the past behind us, and walk into our brighter, glorious futures.”

“May yours be among the brightest,” Beggahasta said, her hand on her daughter’s shoulders. “You will always be welcome in our home, Altaizar.”

“I know,” the mage said, looking up at the sky. A strange smile crossed his face. “I suspect we will all meet again in one way or another. Interesting times come.” He looked back at Matthias. “Do not let my mother bully you too much, young friend.”

With those words he hopped up on the wagon, nestling into the seat and giving the Stonebreaker family a final look, as though memorising their faces.

He gripped the reins and said, “Until we meet again, farewell! Forward!” he commanded the horses.

Gripped by his power, they moved forward, hooves clopping through the gates and down the mountain road. They had no trouble pulling his mountain of belongings.

The Stonebreaker family remained by the courtyard gates, waving goodbye, watching him disappear down the road. He seemed to be in a hurry, suddenly picking up speed.

As he disappeared, Matthias glimpsed a figure, clad all in black, floating in the sky above the trees. It had appeared there without him noticing: Mistress Polla watched her son’s cart disappear down the road.

She lifted a hand in a small wave.

He lifted his hand, giving her one in return.

For a moment, Matthias wondered why she and her son did not seem to get along…though if he ever learned the answer, today would not be the day. Perhaps he would ask Altaizar someday, when their paths crossed again.

As the mage’s cart rolled down the mountain, Mistress Polla flew from the tower’s courtyard.

She gave Beggahasta a slight bow as she hovered inches above the cobblestones. “It’s been too long. Congratulations on your family’s change of fortune.”

“Thank you,” Beggahasta nodded. “And thank you for first, helping my eldest son all those many years ago, and now, my younger son.”

“Yes, I don’t remember you very well, but mother told me you were the mage helping me before Altaizar,” Bregindoure said.

“I failed to help you, Bregindoure.” Mistress Polla’s voice held a pained note. “But I will not fail to help your brother. Speaking of which, have you made a decision?”

“Yes.” Matthias cleared his throat. “I’m going with you, and my family’s coming with me. At least for a time.”

He prepared for her objection.

Instead, she cocked her head in thought. “Yes, good. That will make things much easier.” Her expression did not change, but her voice lightened. “In that case, there is much to discuss. But before that.”

Her gaze shifted back to Matthias. 

“I will need to speak with you. Alone.”

Matthias’s eyebrow rose. “Why?” he asked.

“Precisely, why do you want to speak to my son alone?” Beggahasta stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah, what do you want with Matthie?” Dagma asked.

Bregindoure said nothing, simply watching Polla closely.

“I want to discuss something potentially sensitive with him,” she said. “I think you will want to be alone for this, Matthias.”

“I don’t think so,” he countered, remembering Altaizar’s warnings about his mother. “I think I’d like...at least mother, there.”

“And I will be there.” Beggahasta looked at her eldest. “Could you take care of your sister for a moment?”

“Of course,” he grunted, jaw clenched, eyes fixed on Polla.

“No, I want to come—” Dagma started saying.

“Not this time,” Beggahasta said, and her tone left no room for argument. She turned back to Polla. “If my son wants me there, he will have me there.”

The silver haired mage paused. “If that’s what you wish?” she asked Matthias.

No way was he going anywhere with a strange mage without the most powerful. person he knew beside him. “That’s what I wish.”

“Then you will have what you wish.”

###

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Mistress Polla watched the murals change on the walls inside her carriage. Beautiful painted scenery shifted as the carriage whipped through the sky. “I empowered the murals with enough of my will to keep them mimicking the outside view for another hundred years, even if I were to drop dead at this very moment. The painting is done in the Ostarite style. Do you like it?”

Matthias and Beggahasta were sitting at the mage’s table in her carriage.

Neither Polla’s apprentice nor the sellswords were with her.

Questions filled Matthias’ mind, too many to give voice to at this moment.

After exchanging a look with his mother, he answered the mage. “I think the paintings are beautiful, but I prefer the real thing over a shadow or a reflection. Windows would look better.”

Polla did not answer at first, then she simply said: “An interesting choice of words. I think we will get along very well.”

Matthias was not so sure about that. “Erm, so why did you want to talk to me alone?”

She turned toward him like an owl eyeing a mouse. “I will be blunt.” Her eyes drifted down, down, down.

To his feet.

No…

…to the darkness beneath his feet.

Her lips parted. “Who else knows what lies in your shadow?”

###

Author's Note

Even i think that's a bit of a nasty cliff.

BUT I HAVE GOOD NEWS. IABD GOT ONTO FRONT PAGE OF RISING STARS. TO CELEBRATE, THERE WILL BE A CHAPTER ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY!

LOOK FORWARD TO IT!