“So you were going to stop us,” Maiya said.
The broad-shouldered man shook his head. “No. You would have perished if you had left the safety of my home. I am pleased you didn’t. Dealing with your corpses would leave a sour taste in my mouth.”
“Tch.”
Vir echoed his friend’s reaction.
Riyan turned, causing his white cloak to flare. “Come. Ride with me.”
“Where are we going?” Maiya asked as the two mounted his Ash’va. Riyan held the reins from up front while Maiya sat behind him. Vir was at the back, almost falling off of the creature’s bum.
Riyan ignored her.
The three traveled through the desert in silence for a good half hour. Vir couldn’t guess what was going on inside the man’s head, or even where he was taking them. The surroundings were all foreign to him, forcing him to realize just how dependent they were on this stranger. The feeling irked him, like insects under his skin.
As the last vestiges of day gave way to night, Vir saw it—a great pile of sticks and logs, arranged neatly in the middle of the desert.
“ Father!”
Vir jumped off of Riyan’s Ash’va before it’d even stopped, running to the pyre and damn the pain!
The guilt he’d held back came flooding out in a torrent. Vir fell to his knees. If only I were stronger. If only I knew magic. Or even how to fight.
Maiya placed a hand on his shoulder, tears streaming down her cheeks as well.
Riyan lit a torch with Magic Heat , shoving a clear reminder of Vir’s failings into his face, before holding it out to him. The man said nothing.
Vir reached out, then hesitated. Lighting the pyre made Rudvik’s death real. Some part of him still clung to the hope that his father would open his eyes and bellow a great big laugh like he always did. A part of him wanted to deny the facts, to ignore the past and pretend it never happened.
But to do so would be to deny Rudvik’s sacrifice. He took the torch from Riyan’s hands and plodded to the pyre, legs as heavy as stone.
As he took his last step to the platform of wood, his delusions died. What remained was a cold acceptance of the harsh reality; his father was gone. Now and forever.
He threw the torch into the pyre. Oil ignited, erupting in a tongue of heat and flame. Soon, the entire pyre was ablaze.
“You were wrong, Rudvik,” Vir murmured, fists clenched in front of the inferno, “You said you’d been a poor father, but that was wrong. You were the best a son could ever have. You were… a hero to me. I promise you. No, I swear to you, I will not let you down. I swear it to the gods. I’ll become a man who can make you proud. So watch over me, father. Watch over me until your soul returns to the great cycle, and may your next life be long and full of happiness.”
“May your next life be long and full of happiness,” Riyan and Maiya echoed.
Vir shed no more tears. He’d said his piece and Rudvik had heard him.
And he’d spoken true. Rudvik was a hero, more so than any mythical character of legend. His father had sacrificed his life for him. For him —an adopted child! A prana scorned Ashborn!
How could Vir possibly repay him now that he was gone? What could he do to rid himself of the guilt that burned so hotly within his chest?
“You will never truly heal,” Riyan said, his deep voice carrying over the crackle of the pyre. “There will be days where you wish for times long past. Days when you yearn for the company of dearly departed friends, or the tender smile of a loved one, cruelly taken.”
Vir continued to stare at the fire. “Then, how…” How do you live with yourself?
“Time mends all wounds,” Riyan said. “Though the scars remain forever.”
So you’ve lost someone, too…
The three stood in front of the pyre for some time. A long, long time. The stars seemed oddly bright when they finally turned back and headed for home—as if the gods themselves were welcoming his father into their fold.
Then, finally, Riyan approached Vir and handed him a small pouch. “Coin that was on your father’s body. It isn’t much, but by right, it is yours.”
Vir held the twenty coppers in both hands like it was seric, and nodded slowly.
He returned to Riyan’s home feeling years older, and not in a good way. Vir was weary and spent, but their benefactor wasn’t done with them for the night.
Riyan ushered them to a sofa in the living room. The powerfully built man took a seat on the couch opposite them, occupying nearly half of it by himself.
Neel jumped up beside Vir and made himself comfortable on the soft leather. Magic Lamps illuminated the domed room with warmth that made Vir long for home.
“I’ve already confirmed that the knights have moved away,” Riyan said, crossing his legs and stretching his arms across the sofa’s backrest. “You are safe here, for now. I am sure you have many questions. Ask.”
Maiya went first. “How’d you know where to find us in the Godshollow?”
That had bothered Vir as well; Riyan’s timing was a bit too perfect to chalk up to mere coincidence.
“I have monitored these knights ever since they left Daha. I witnessed that fight of yours, if you could call it that,” he said, staring at Vir. “Terrible form. Stupid decisions. But… You move well, and you show some promise with thrown weapons. With magic, you could become a formidable force one day.”
Vir felt like the man had stabbed him in the gut by mentioning magic.
“I am quite skilled at remaining undetected,” Riyan continued. “This should be of great value to you.”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Why, though?” Maiya asked. “Why would someone of your wealth be hiding all the way out here?”
Riyan’s death stare would’ve silenced even a Child of Ash. Maiya felt like a mouse who’d just caught an eagle’s attention. The wrong kind of attention.
“Maiya!” Vir hissed. “I'm sorry, sir, she didn't mean that. Just that we've been through a lot lately. I hope you can understand our caution.”
“I've nothing to hide , ” the man spat, “and that is all I will say about this matter. Suffice it to say, I am proficient in staying hidden when I want to. The world is a large place. You will need this skill if you are to survive.”
Vir couldn’t deny that. “Why did you save us? Actually, how'd you even find us?”
Riyan regarded them for a long moment. “You are right to suspect my motivations. I have been tracking the knights' movements for my own reasons. Make no mistake, I did not come to your rescue out of some sense of misplaced charity. I will house you, feed you, and keep you hidden. I will teach you how to fight and how to survive. The girl, if she has talent, will learn as well. If not, then she will assist you. But know that my time is more valuable than you can imagine. I require something of equal value from you in return.”
“What could we possibly offer that you don’t already have?” Vir said, looking around the opulent room.
Riyan leaned forward. “Guidance for a favor. You must each do one task that I ask of you in the future. Do this, and I will consider your debts fulfilled.”
“Can you tell us what you want of us?” Maiya asked.
“Not until the time is right. All I can say is that your tasks will likely separate you for their duration. You should prepare yourselves for this.”
Vir didn't like the sound of that at all.
“May we refuse?” she asked, throwing Vir a concerned glance.
Riyan bellowed a deep laugh that rang through the halls of his home. “You owe me a great debt , child. Even if that were not the case, how long do you think you can remain undetected out there?” He said, gesturing with his chin. “How long do you think you can survive in a world that wants to hunt you down?”
“I-I think we could survive,” Maiya replied.
“If you truly believe that, then you are more naïve than you look. If you run, I will simply ‘leak’ information on your whereabouts to the kingdom. You will be captured in no time at all. Gods help your poor souls when that happens. Death would be a kindness.”
Vir interjected before Maiya started shouting at Riyan. “May we discuss this in private?”
Riyan gestured to the kitchen. “Go right ahead. But do not make the mistake of believing that you have a choice in this matter. Either survive with me, or die miserably on the sands.”
Maiya touched the Magic Lock on the kitchen’s door once they’d entered, locking them inside.
Vir heaved a great sigh. “This is all too much for one day,” he said, suddenly realizing his throat was horribly parched. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d taken a drink.
“You got that right,” Maiya said, following him. ”What a load of ash! Y’know, when we left the village, I never thought we’d end up in the middle of a desert. This isn’t even a city, for Chal’s sake!”
Vir cracked a smile as he walked to the sink. His poor friend. All she’d ever wanted was to end up in a big city, but she somehow wound up somewhere even more remote than the village they’d grown up in. With a cranky old man, no less.
To his chagrin, the tap required magic to operate. He never understood why taps needed to be magical. They were so simple!
His thoughtful friend noticed his plight and had already retrieved a glass for him. She touched the orb and filled the glass, handing it to Vir.
“Thanks,” he said, relishing the feeling of cool water down his throat. Amazing how such a small thing could make him feel alive again.
“Sorry that you have to do these things for me.”
“Not your fault. We’ll get Riyan to install non-magical utilities if we end up staying here.”
Riyan didn’t strike him as the most patient person, so he sat down at the small dining table and got to the heart of the matter.
“About that. You think he’ll keep up his end of the bargain when he learns I’m prana scorned? I feel like he’d be happy to toss me to the wolves when he realizes what I am.”
“He won’t!” Maiya said. “You’re more acrobatic than anyone I've ever known! And you’re clever. Even without magic, I’m sure we can convince him we’ll be useful.”
Vir wondered whether Riyan would be that considerate. That said, they really didn’t have any options. As much as it infuriated him, Riyan was right. They’d die without him.
“So, are we staying?” Maiya asked. “I’ll be honest. I don’t like him. We can’t trust him. He’s clearly a criminal of some sort, and I don't like the idea of us getting separated. Doesn't sit right.”
“I agree,” Vir said. “But I actually think we can trust him to an extent. He wants something from us. As long as we give him that, he’ll provide us with the things we need to survive. It doesn’t sound like a terrible deal. Assuming I can live up to his expectations, of course.”
It’d be a gamble to see if he could convince Riyan that he was worth keeping around despite being prana scorned. The man would not be happy to learn Vir couldn't use even the most basic utility magic, or that he could only run thirty paces before keeling over.
“I have a bad feeling about those favors. I don’t think it’s going to be anything good. What if he asks us to do something... something bad?”
“I know. Here's what I'm thinking. If he's reasonable about it, we can uphold our end of the bargain. But if he's not... then we'll resist. If we’re strong enough to help him out on whatever he needs, we’ll be more than strong enough to challenge him. Maybe we can change his mind about what favors he wants us to do.”
Maiya thought it over for a moment. “Fine. But if we can't manage that... we'll leave. Alright?”
Vir nodded.
They returned to the living room and took their original seats.
“We’ll stay,” Vir said. “But if we’re mistreated in any way, the deal’s off.”
“And we'd like to ask you for some conditions,” Maiya said, trying and failing to meet Riyan’s intense gaze.
“ Conditions? Do you think you’re in any position to impose conditions? On me!?” Riyan roared, half angry, half amused.
Maiya gulped. Once again, they felt like prey in the eyes of an all-powerful predator.
“Y-yes?” Maiya stammered. Vir didn’t know how she mustered the courage to respond. And his friend didn’t stop there. “We'd like our privacy. And you’re not to lay your hands on me or Vir or Neel! And you can't hurt Vir during his training.”
Riyan scoffed. “ Please… You insult me. I have no interest in abusing children. And no harm will befall your bandy, so long as you keep it under control.”
“Neel’s the most well behaved bandy you’ll ever see. Right Neel?” she said. Neel barked in agreement.
“As for the boy’s training, it will be what it will be. I can make no promises that he won’t get hurt. He will likely experience pain and suffering. But he is of no use to me crippled.”
Maiya threw Vir a look, but he shook his head. Riyan would not budge on this point, and he didn’t want to anger the man any further if nothing was to be gained.
“J-just one more thing!” Maiya squeaked.
“There’s more?” Riyan rasped. “You have backbone, girl. I will give you that. But you strain the limits of my patience.”
Yep, not a patient man at all, Vir noted.
Maiya gulped. “I'd like to visit Brij, if possible. I want to tell my parents I’m alright,” she said.
“Denied,” came Riyan’s immediate response. “Returning to your village would be the height of stupidity. I have gone to great lengths to throw those knights off your trail. If you return, you will lead them right back to you. Or worse, back to me. No.”
Maiya bit her lip, falling silent.
“What if we wait a while?” Vir said. “Maybe once we’ve learned how to defend ourselves? And if you could teach us anything about how to stay hidden, we’d be able to go back undetected.”
Maiya mouthed a wordless ‘thanks’.
Riyan cocked a brow. “Very well. In due time, if both of you devote yourselves to your training and if you display adequate skills, I may permit you to visit your village. Though you may not like what you find.”
“What do you mean?” Maiya asked.
“You will see. Or perhaps you won’t.” He turned to Vir. “You are injured and have strained yourself today. Rest now. Tomorrow, we will discuss your training,” he said with a sadistic grin. “Enjoy your last days of peace on this earth. Do try not to die.”
Vir and Maiya exchanged looks of horror.
“D-die!?”
Are we really going to survive this? Next time: 12 - Man of Many 'Talents'