Morwin waited. And waited. And waited. A part of him expected servants to come into his room congratulating him on his return from his expedition. But no one came. Not even the servants he’d gone with. Not Galvin, not Vince, Icar, Guenevir. Mr. Axwel came, but then he left. Permanently. His father didn’t throw him a welcoming back party. If anything, it seemed like nothing even happened.
He laid on his bed and stared up at his ceiling. It was barely the afternoon but he already felt incredibly drained. He’d been feeling so tired recently.
He closed his eyes just for one moment…
Screaming. Running. Fear spread through the air like wildfire. Morwin stood among the crowd, looking towards the palace in the middle of Rathalin. It burned with a raging fire, and despite all the surrounding buildings made of stone and brick, they still somehow caught fire and burned to the ground. That was how hot the flames burned.
The people screamed. Soldiers, whose primary objective is to protect the common citizen and the king, fled away from the burning building in the middle as well. Morwin had just arrived back home yesterday, and now to see his home going up in flames the day he returned. It felt surreal.
Morwin held onto the bag of gemstones by his waist. If the soldiers were too cowardly to rush into the flames to do something about the fire, then perhaps the responsibility would fall on him.
He felt for emeralds and could hear their steady heartbeat, swirling and giving off their essence. He Absorbed as much as his body could handle, then used some Strength from amethysts to propel himself forward, focusing on Wind to control his flight through the air.
He saw some people stop to point at him as he flew straight for the burning building in the middle of town. He no longer cared if people knew he was a Dragikiri. If he could use his abilities to save just one person… he would do it.
When had he been so noble? So heroic? He didn’t remember caring for other people as he was growing up. His father had taught him to look only after himself, and that other people would care about him, not the other way around.
Him flying towards the burning building to rescue people: this betrayed the philosophy his father had ingrained in him, but it felt liberating. Perhaps it was the sense of going against the duty that he had grown to resent that propelled him to looking out for the common people.
As a matter of fact, Morwin didn’t even remember being evacuated out of the building. He just came to and he was standing outside, watching his home he’s known for the past twenty years to go up in a raging blaze, scorching and spreading out throughout the rest of the town he’s known.
Morwin arrived in the flames and focused on the massive pool of amethyst he held in his pouch. To him, amethysts were some of the more important gems along with emeralds, so he elected to carry more of those.
He constantly focused on Healing so immediately remedy the burns he received as he pushed forward through the fires. Flames licked and danced everywhere and the air was choked with ash and falling debris.
A wooden roof burned and collapsed downward, landing right in front of his feet. The fires have grown too large to put out at this point, no matter how many gemstones he had or what gemstones he used. He just needed to rescue people and get them out of there.
Screams. Screams ringing through the air from within the fires. That was the sound he needed to hear.
He flew towards the screams. It came from one of the burning buildings. Morwin Absorbed some topaz as some emerald essence left his body. He focused on Ground and used the power to create an entrance right towards where he flew, flying straight into the building.
This was more dangerous. He used the rest of the topaz in him to create a clearing in the area, moving some of the fallen debris and destruction. He then absorbed some aquamarine and focused on Coolness.
Huh, he didn’t seem to remember learning how to channel aquamarine, but the presence inside his mind felt familiar.
The area around him reduced in temperature so it made traveling through slightly more bearable.
Another scream and the sound of cries rang the air.
Morwin needed to move faster. He Absorbed some diamond and focused on Speed, increasing his movement and pushing through the rubble. He finally saw what, or rather, who, he was looking for.
A couple sat in the flames, their skin burned and faces filled with ash, tears streaming down their cheeks and crying, huddled together, ready to accept their inevitable fate.
“Come!” Morwin shouted to them above the sound of rubble crashing to the ground and the burning flames.
Morwin extended out a hand towards them. Their expression of fear was replaced one of relief as they reached out to take Morwin’s hand. As he reached out to take their hand, their bodies turned to ash and their remains collapsed on the ground, the sound of their cries vanishing through the sound of all else.
They’d perished. Morwin collapsed on the ground in a sweaty mess. “No,” he whispered to himself. No use in stopping now. There were other people still stranded in the flames, and he had to help them no matter what.
Morwin focused on Wind again and pushed out the roof of the building, the entire structure collapsed under him as he flew out. He darted in the direction of where he heard another scream (he’d focused on Invigoration to improve his hearing).
He landed at the foot of another building and again made his way through the burning structure, pushing past everything that stood in his way with either his magical abilities or his brute strength.
His amethyst was running out and he could feel it. He decided to instead reserve that and focus on Coolness from his aquamarines instead, creating an area of super low temperature around him and pushing through. That way, the flames would equalize and he would be in a bubble of room temperature.
He came to a family of four this time with two young children, a boy and a girl, crying and hugging their mother for relief.
“I’m here!” Morwin announced. “I got you!” Again, he extended a hand towards them. They reached out to it without hesitation, and again, their skin turned to ash and their remains crumbled on the floor.
"No!” Morwin shouted, more forcefully this time. He picked up the remains of the family that was just there, but they seeped through his fingertips and collected in a neat pile on the ground where he knelt. Again, he tried to rescue some people from the burning flames, and again, the universe told him why that was a bad idea, that no matter what he did, it was going to be futile.
No use in feeling sorry for myself, he told himself before standing back up. He Absorbed some more emerald and lurched into the sky, using his enhanced hearing abilities to discern where more cries came from. More cries would mean more people huddled up, people who he needed to go save.
He flew towards the sound of the nearest cries. This time, he didn’t bother using topaz to create an entrance for himself. Instead, he flew right into the burning roof, descending through floors upon floors of burning structure, landing on the floor heavily. He Absorbed some amethyst as he landed to make sure he didn’t injure himself as he landed, but by this point, he didn’t care.
Adrenaline flowed through him. He wouldn’t give up easily; he needed to get to these people before they turned to ash like the previous two.
He moved through the building with less care for his wellbeing this time, pushing past and getting some burn marks along the way. If he could just rescue these people… just one… to be a hero to only one person… that would make it worth it.
The roof collapsed around him. Some of the wood crashed into his back, and he nearly fell as it came into contact with him. A searing feeling spread throughout his entire body.
“Where are you!” he shouted, more of a demand than a question. He was met with sounds of a youngling crying and the whimpers of a poor mother trying to console the baby down.
Morwin broke through a room and came face to face with the mother. “I’m here for you!” Morwin shouted. “Quick! Take my hand!” He extended a hand out for the mother to take, and she started to reach out for the aid.
Just as their fingertips were about to come into contact with one another, the mother turned into ash alongside with the baby and collapsed into a pile. Morwin stared in terror as he once again failed, helpless and powerless to do anything as the pair crumpled and perished before his eyes.
“Damnit!” Morwin screamed. “Dammit! Dammit, dammit, dammit!” Was this his fate for the rest of his short life? To try and rescue people in a big blaze, to come so close to rescuing them, for them to die right before his very eyes?
No! He refused it. He wouldn’t let that happen to him, not if there was something he could do about it. He Absorbed more emerald essence and focused on Wind, propelling himself into the sky and flying away, flying faster and further than he had before.
Again and again, he crashed into burning buildings where he knew there were people stranded, and again and again, he was met with the same outcome: he would come so close to taking their hands and led them out into freedom, and at the last second, they would die and their body turned into ash and dust right before his eyes.
Mothers. Daughters. Scared fathers, sons, brothers. None of it made a difference, if the outcome each time was the same.
He was weak, powerless. Unable to do anything to help the people the king looked after.
The king. Could he be the source of these flames? The person he once revered, turned to hatred? Morwin looked up into the sky and saw a familiar object up there, swirling with all its mass of omnipotence.
Clouds, forming a red and very much angry face. No, it couldn’t be a coincidence, could it? This was a dream, it had to be. Reality wasn’t this cruel.
He Who Rages swirled above him, his anger now a crushing weight under the foolish mortals who dared run from him.
Morwin stood in the middle of it all. Stood in the flames that consumed building and people alike. No matter where he looked, he saw nothing but red and orange, a powerful mass all around him.
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In that moment, he knew he should feel fear. The ultimate fear every normal person would feel, the fear of dying an becoming nothing. But the fear wasn’t there. Instead, it was anger. Rage. Primal destruction. How could some being possess more than enough power to cause all of the destruction he was witnessing around him?
For the first time since flying around with the power of emeralds, he opened his leather pouch, revealing a mass of gemstones inside. The light in some was weaker than in others, more specifically those of emeralds and amethysts.
They were weak, but they still had a shine to them, and that was good enough. He was beyond trying to save people in burning buildings. He had witnessed their deaths and them turning to ash time and time again that he was just… tired of it. Instead, he focused his energy on something else entirely: the source of all the chaos.
Morwin stared at the clouds and sucked in a breath, his lungs burning as smoke filled them. It was now or never.
He Absorbed the last of the emeralds, and then some. All of the emeralds he had cracked, tiny crevices filling the gemstones, then Shattered.
To Shatter was to ruin all possibility of a gemstone from regaining its powers, in one moment of desperation to capture all of the essence of the gemstone. To be empowered beyond possibility of normal gemming.
Morwin felt the last of the emeralds’ essences coursing through his veins; he had captured this power, and he wasn’t going to let it go to waste just like that.
He knelt down and focused all of the emeralds on Wind. Then propelled himself forward, flying faster and further than he had ever flown before, a thunderous cracking sound reverberating through his ears and traveling through his bones. He didn’t care if the flight would kill him, all he wanted was to get to the center of this terrifying mass.
He flew past the normal gray clouds, straight for the mass in the sky. He flew past the face and headed straight for the center of the storm.
Once inside, he allowed himself to drop, and found that it felt like standing on solid ground. None of it made sense.
In the center of the storm was a figure, surrounded by swirling red energy and clouds of darkness rose out of every pore in his body.
The face of the figure resembled King Rai’Shal.
“You!” Morwin screamed, heat and anger inside him. “You did this! You burned down your own city! Destroyed your own people! Caused mass destruction!”
The image of the king simply gave a condescending smile.
Morwin unsheathed his dagger and Absorbed ruby, creating a burning tornado all around him. It didn’t matter if this was a dream or not, he needed to let go of his anger and rage somehow. And his enemy stood a couple of feet away from him.
The last time He Who Rages made his presence known to him, Morwin hadn’t had his gems. Now, things were different, he could use the elements and then some.
He made a mad dash for the image of King Rai’Shal. The king moved out of the way of the strike. As Morwin moved past him, he caught a glance of a smirk before landing on the cloud underneath his feet.
“Why do you torment me?!” Morwin shouted at the king, standing up and getting ready for an attack.
“I don’t. You torment yourself. You could have been happy living as my subject. But no, you chose to rise against me. And that will be your ultimate downfall. I will make you burn, just like the people you failed to rescue. I have no place for rebels within my nation, no matter who you are.”
Morwin gripped the dagger tighter and swung at the king again, but just like Faaldar, he became air and mist, reappearing several feet away.
“You will know my rage,” the image of the king spoke. “You will die in the coming conflict.”
And just like that, the king disappeared. The floor disappeared. All the clouds disappeared, and as he fell, the burning town started disappearing underneath him.
He fell past where the ground would be, and continued falling. Falling and falling and falling, right down into the void. Into oblivion.
A knock at his door woke him up. He jolted with a start, sweat damp on his face. His breathing had been ragged, and he drew in shallow breaths.
He pushed the blanket off himself and allowed himself to cool. Of course that was only a dream. In it, he’d broken some rules of Gemming. Like Absorbing two essences at the same time. Or using aquamarine to cool the temperature around him. But it all felt too real. He could still feel the heat of the flames whipping against his face.
The corpses. The people. He could still hear their screams echo in his head.
The screams and cries receded when the knocking came again. Morwin frowned. “Who is it?” he called out.
He was answered with more knocking. Morwin tossed aside his blanket and sprinted to the door, turning the knob and yanking it open to see a familiar figure standing there.
Kaden, one of the guys from Justicar, stood thee in a servant uniform, carrying a metal tray on his right hand.
“Good day, sire!” he said, trying to sound official. “May I interest you with a glass of wine?”
“Kaden?” Morwin asked.
Kaden raised an eyebrow. “I do not believe we’ve met, Young Master Morwin.”
Morwin reached out and grabbed onto his arm, pulling him into the room and slamming the door. Kaden almost dropped the tray with the bottle on it, but he caught it in time.
“What’re you doing here?” Morwin hissed.
“Well, your father said he would replace Phalmor. It’s me. I’m his replacement!” Kaden spoke. He set the tray with wine down on top of the bedside drawer and extended out a hand. “My name is Kaden, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Morwin stared at the outstretched hand, then to Kaden, and back to the hand. “Did he seriously find a replacement that quickly?”
“Well with your head servant leaving, he had two empty spots to fill. Besides, I believe Mr. Axwel was the one who recommended me for the position.”
Morwin lowered his voice even further. He couldn’t be too careful. There could be prying ears on the other side of the door.
“How do you know Mr. Axwel?”
“Through Galvin,” came Kaden’s reply.
“Is he… a part of Justicar?” Morwin said, that last part so quiet that even Kaden could barely hear him.
The new servant let out a laugh. “Oh heavens no!” he exclaimed, then he paused for a moment in deep thought. “Well he could be. I have no idea. Justicar is a pretty big group, I doubt even Galvin knows everyone in it.”
“Well is there a way we can find out?” Morwin asked.
“Sure, let’s go ask him. The son of one of the Ministers of Agnius will ask Mr. Axwel, someone who used to be a servant of Lord De’Shai, whether he is secretly in a rebellion group trying to overthrow the king. I’m sure there’ll be an honest answer!” Kaden said sarcastically. “Besides I have no idea where he is. I haven’t even talked to him since he quit.”
“Right,” Morwin agreed. “Anyways is there another reason you came here to me? Besides you know, just introducing yourself? Err reintroducing yourself? Well introducing yourself for the first time since we didn’t really talk back in Jovin City.”
“Yeah,” Kaden answered. “Galvin wants to see you. Go to the pub called the Cat in the Sink at dusk. He’s going to be waiting.”
“Do you know what he’s going to want with me?”
Kaden shrugged. “I don’t know. You’ll just have to find out.”
Morwin moved to lift up his covers and took a look outside. The dipped below the horizon, sucking in the last of its light.
Oh moons! How long had he been asleep for?
“Dusk is now isn’t it?” Morwin said, panic settling into his voice.
Kaden nodded. “Sure is,” he replied. “I would run if I were you.”
“Got it,” Morwin replied, taking his sapphire necklace and throwing it around his neck, making his way to the door.
Kaden moved to stop him. “But leave the necklace,” he said, a finality in his voice. “You’re not going to need it. And it’s illegal now. Don’t want the king or your father getting any ideas,” he said.
Morwin frowned. “I’m the son of Lord De’Shai,” he complained while taking off his necklace and throwing it back into his drawer. He missed and it landed on the floor instead, but he didn’t have time to pick it up.
Morwin ushered Kaden out of his room and made a mad dash through the hallway. As he was moving, he quickly attached the dagger to his belt. You never know who could be lurking during nighttime, so it was better to be safe than sorry.
As usual, servants wandered the halls, carrying out chores that Lord De’Shai had them doing. Not only was it Lord De’Shai and Morwin living inside that palace, but also the servants lived there and some of the most trusted captains of the army.
He ran down the stairs covered in velvet carpet and made his way through the marbled hallway, pushing himself out the front door.
Thankfully none of the servants stopped him. They recognized him as an adult now instead of a child in need of constant babysitting.
He ran through the familiar cobblestone streets and ended up at the pub Kaden told him to go to. He pushed open the door and let himself in.
The good news is that pubs are more or less the same all throughout Agnius. For some reason, they are hectic during night. The stench of sweat, musk, and alcohol slapped him across the face. Everywhere he looked, jovial faces existed and laughed with one another.
Morwin scanned the room until he saw Galvin sitting on a stool at the counter, holding a cup with some liquid in it.
“I didn’t know you drink,” Morwin said, taking a seat next to him.
“I don’t,” he answered. “This is water. I won’t drink so long as the king is alive because there is nothing to drink too.”
“No need to be so broody all the time,” Morwin said, raising a finger to call the bartender over.
The first time he’d been drunk was awful. It gave him a major headache and he could barely stand up straight. But it’d also been fun.
Galvin slapped his finger down. “That’s not why we’re here,” Galvin said. “Let’s take a walk?”
“Where to?”
“Outside Rathalin. So I can properly train you how to Gem.”
This was what Morwin had been waiting for. He’d been tired of guessing how those things worked. With a pep to his step, he followed Galvin as the two of them left the pub.
