Taming the Elements: Elwin Escari Chronicles: Volume 1 (7 page)

“At the cost of your soul?” she asked breathlessly.

“What does that even mean? Do you even know?” Despite the anger building in him, he forced a laugh. It sounded weak, even to his own ears. “You serve the Lifebringer, but where is he? I do not see him raising a hand for anyone. He has left this world to ruin, and you give
him
your soul without question. It is foolish to serve Life at the cost of living.”

“I do not feel the taint on you, but …,” He could see the light of realization, shining in her eyes. “You are bound, aren’t you?”

He had the lie prepared before her lips formed the question. Just enough truth to be believed.

“The night I returned here from Alcoa, I had learned of your betrayal. You turned my own brother against me. That night the Seeker of Souls came to me. He offered me power, and I accepted. It was foolish of me to have resisted him in the first place, after he had already given me so much without my loyalty. I no longer fear the Awakening any more than a snake fears its own bite.”

He pulled the pendant from his neck. Amongst other things, it had the ability to mask the power of the Death Element. Away from his chest, the effects of its power faded, allowing her to sense that he was bound.

The pity returned to her eyes, and she stared at him in silence. Saying nothing, she gave a slight shake of her head. He had wanted her to feel pain. Blame herself. Instead she felt pity for
him
. She might as well have slapped him or spat in his face. Instead of pushing the anger away, he embraced it.

Bain opened his essence to Earth and Air, readying to tame its power to trap her. The power of the Elements flooded into him, but before he could act, she had already tamed power in a weave foreign to him. Spirit energy without form flowed from her, and he felt the fabric of reality tear between them.

A thin, rectangular sheet of light appeared in front of her. Its blinding brightness forced him to shield his eyes. Her image was there for only a moment, as if he looked upon her through the clearest of water, and then she and the light were gone.

Her voice echoed, even after the image of her face had vanished. “Goodbye, my love.”

Like snuffing out a candle, her life force was no more. He stared in disbelief for many moments. Slowly, he realized what she had done.

“But that is impossible.”

The shadow realm was where an elementalist drew his powers. To enter there in the flesh meant to give up one’s life force here in the world that was. She burnt up her essence in one final act, a Spending. He couldn’t know the intentions behind her Spending. He only knew one thing.

“She’s … gone.”

Forgetting the anger he had felt only moments before, he sat on the shore. He was vaguely aware of the sun descending in the western sky.

This time she was gone. Truly gone.

The night was long, but he did not stir from the beach.

Chapter 3

Elwin Escari

The sun continuously rises and sets, carrying with it the shadows of the ages. History that is known shines on us like truth given to all. But the unknown history of the ages is like the darkness on the edges of the setting sun. With the passing of time, its elusive nature lays to rest our sense of truth. As the sun brings a waking light upon the land in the morning, inevitably darkness too must fall across the land.

Time blows by for a youth like a single leaf in the wind fluttering about in the direction nature takes him. The seasons come and they go. As one leaf falls, another one rises. The Lady Nature gives rays of sunshine to her creatures as well as storms. Trees that flourish in the spring and summer lose their way to the fall and winter.

The cyclical nature of life turns its great cycle, and a child grows from a baby to a toddler. The unending winds of change blow, turning the leaf through fourteen years, until the toddler becomes a youth.

While history casts its shadow, morning has come again, and like all mornings the mysteries of the past come with it.

Elwin Escari’s blond hair bounced about his shoulders, as he swung down from the lowest branch of the large, redwood tree. The short sleeve of his green tunic snagged as he dropped into the dirt road beside the tree. He stopped to inspect the tiny tear.

“Phew,” he said to himself, “it’s
not that bad. Mother will probably never notice.”

The anticipation of climbing that particular tree was the reason for wearing the brown trousers. Dirt was harder to see on brown. After they were wiped to his satisfaction, he checked the coin purse at his belt loop that his father had given him. None of the coins were missing. Satisfied that he was presentable, he walked up the dirt road in the direction of the town.

The sun hit its zenith by the time Elwin reached the first building at the edge of town. The summer’s cool, northern breeze brought apple-scented candles to Elwin, and he breathed in deeply. He could see Danna placing the new candles in the window of her small shop. It, like the rest of the buildings in Benedict, had been constructed of the strong redwoods from the Carotid Forest to the north, which Elwin could see at the edge of the horizon.

Danna’s dark hair was pulled back and tied up. A smudge of red wax had dried to each cheek, just below her eyes. Elwin noticed that her apron was covered in waxes of various colors, but her linen dress remained spotless. Danna smiled and waved as he passed.

He waved back and continued into town.

The rich smells from Warne’s Apothecary on Elwin’s right and pungent odors from Jansen’s Brewery on his left provided a stark contrast to the sweet-scented candles just moments before.

Several more paces brought him to the cobblestones of the town square in front of his Poppe’s inn. Many of the townspeople had set up some wares for travelers arriving early for the festival.

A burly man wearing a sleeveless tunic beneath a blacksmith’s apron gave Elwin a toothy grin. His massive arms sorted the weapons and armor on the wooden table in front of him.

Elwin returned the man’s grin. “Hi Faron.”

Faron had a full head of silver hair, which he kept short. Blue eyes nestled against his strong nose reminded Elwin of a hawk. He and Faron were the only people in town that had blue eyes. Everyone else had blends of green, brown and black colored eyes. But, unlike Elwin, Faron wasn’t from around here. He had grown up somewhere across the Tranquil Sea.

Faron’s voice had a deep tone and the touch of an accent. “Your dad let you off that tight leash he’s had you on, I see. Last I heard, Feffer had gotten you into some trouble for hiding stinkweed under the bar at the inn.”

“It was all Feffer,” Elwin said. “I just happened to be there. But, I am just going to Madrowl’s Wares to get some leather strapping for the plow. Father says it’ll go out any day. He had wanted to get the beans planted before the Summer Solstice Festival, but it’s unlikely now.”

Faron reached across the table and ruffled Elwin’s hair. “I could cut that for you if you want.”

Elwin backed away, eying the sharp weapon Faron reached for. “I’m okay Faron. Thanks.”

“Best be on your way then lad.” Faron winked at him.

“I’ll see you at the festival tomorrow?” Elwin asked.

Faron nodded. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

Elwin turned from the table and crossed the street, waving to Jadron the furrier and Bryne the carpenter, who had tables and tents being set up for their wares as well.

Willem Madrowl’s Wares sat across the street from his Poppe’s inn to the left of town square. Its shape made Elwin think of a large, wooden box two stories high. The small awning over the door extended the side of the building.

A few paces brought Elwin to the base of the wooden stairs, and two big steps brought him to the top. A bell dinged above his head as he entered. There always seemed to be an ever-present layer of dust in the front room. He covered his mouth and coughed.

The front room consisted of a counter that rested in front of a double door, which Elwin hadn’t ever seen stay open for long. Willem Madrowl stood behind the counter, scrawling on a leather-bound book. He closed the heavy tome as Elwin peeked at it.

Willem scratched his red-grey hair. “Oh. Hi there, Elwin. By yourself today, eh?”

“Yes sir, I have come to your shop today to purchase leather strapping, cut for a plow.”

“Well okay, my fine sir,” he said with a smile. “That will be twenty-seven copper pieces.” He opened the leather book, dipped his quill in ink and began to scrawl on the next line.

Elwin tried not to be nosy but couldn’t help himself. He watched Willem write down Elwin’s purchase. When Willem finished he said, “You can read then can you?”

Elwin’s cheeks flushed. “Oh sorry, I wasn’t trying to. Yes my mother taught me to read and write. Reading is my favorite pastime.”

“Other than ledgers,” Willem said, “what do you like to read?”

Elwin smiled. “I have a book that I got last Festival that talks about the history of wizards. But they are called elementalists, not wizards. I just call them wizards because that’s what my Poppe calls them in his stories. They can do the most amazing things. I am going to be one someday.”

Elwin pulled his purse out and began to count out the copper, placing each piece on the counter.

“A el-a … wizard, eh? Well wouldn’t that be something? I saw the king’s wizard, Jasmine Lifesong, a few years back. She was really a looker.” Willem rubbed his chin. “You’ve been a good influence on Feffer. He sounds just like you, always talking about grand adventures and such. He has the great aspirations to become an elite guard to the mighty King Justice, may the Lifebringer bless him always. He might just do it, if I could keep him from influencing you.”

“… Twenty-six, twenty-seven. All there,” Elwin said. “Feffer, yeah. He wants to be a member of the White Hand. I don’t know why. Elementalists are better. Where is he?”

Willem’s nostrils flared. “Aye. Well. He’s been in a heap of trouble the past couple of days. I don’t know what I am going to do with him. Aside from the stinkweed stunt, he stole another one of your Momme’s peach pies. I’ve a good mind to keep him from the Summer Solstice Festival.” He paused. “Let me get that strapping for ya.”

Willem pulled a cord hanging by the doors and began writing on some paper in front of him. A few moments later Wilton Madrowl, Willem’s oldest, came out the doors. His auburn hair encased high cheek bones and a square face. He stood a hand or so taller than Willem. The girls of the town always giggled when they talked to him. Elwin could never figure out why. He wasn’t even funny.

Wilton took the scrawling without a word and returned to the warehouse through the double doors. Elwin leaned over to peek inside the doors while they were opened. It closed before he could get a good look, but he did manage to see large racks with clothes on wooden shelves at the far wall.

Several moments later Wilton returned and handed Elwin the strapping with a smirk. He ruffled Elwin’s head before returning through the doors. Elwin smoothed his hair. Why did everyone do that? He wasn’t a kid anymore.

“Well,” Willem said, “you have a nice day now, Elwin.”

Elwin replaced the almost empty purse back on his belt loop and turned to leave. “Thank you, kind sir.”

“Aye, and thanks to you as well,” Willem smiled. “Send my best to Drenen.”

“I will.” Elwin returned the smile and left.

As he reached the second step, a gush of cold splashed his head and traveled down his spine. His muscles froze and his heart pounded. Wiping water from his face, he looked up at the clear-blue sky. No one in the square seemed to take notice of his dilemma. A muffled giggle came from somewhere above him.

“Feffer!” Elwin accused.

Elwin backed down the steps, studying the roof line for several moments in an attempt to find his attacker. Another downpour came from above. Elwin dove to the side of the steps as if lava poured down from the heavens. He heard the splatter of water hit the steps behind him.

He stood up and ran toward the western side of the building. A bamboo ladder leaned against the backside of the building and extended just over the roof line.

A small part of his brain tried to warn him against revenge, but he ignored it. Feffer needed to pay.

Elwin ran to the ladder as fast as his feet could carry him and pulled it to the ground. It felt lighter than he thought it would be, but it felt awkward trying to run with it. But ran he did. Heart pounding, he moved around to the back of the building and across to the eastern side. He adjusted the ladder to just under the roof line and pressed the base of the ladder deep into the grass until it dug into the dirt. Throwing the strap over his shoulder to free his hands, he put his foot on the first step and grabbed hold of the sides.

Then, he looked up.

Elwin hesitated. That voice to turn around and walk away became louder. The height of the building seemed much higher with the ladder next to it. He pushed the voice away. Not more than half an arm’s length, each wrung had a comfortable distance to the next step. He could do this.

Sucking in a deep breath he took the second step. Then a third. He kept climbing,
not
looking down. After making it to the top, he peered over the edge. Racks and boxes were beneath an awning at the other end, but there was no sign of Feffer.

He pulled himself over the ledge and onto the roof.

Without thinking, he turned around and looked down. The ground seemed to blur and stretch further away than he thought possible. He teetered on his toes as if the roof shook. Backing away from the edge, he fell onto his backside and turned to clutch the roof with both hands. He felt as if the roof rocked beneath him. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as if trying to escape.

Elwin closed his eyes. The roof couldn’t have been moving. He had read about Fistledon the Great, a master elementalist who could conjure fire and shake all of Arinth with his powers. This wasn’t that. He had never been so high up before. He needed to be calm. There was no harm in being so high up.

No you japed-up fool!
The voice in his head said.
It’s the impact at the bottom that’ll dash your fool brains to bits.”

“Stop it,” he told the voice. “That isn’t going to help.”

He took several deep breaths, letting his heartbeat slow to a steady rhythm and opened his eyes. The roof no longer moved beneath him. Slow, as to not startle the roof into motion, he sat up. Behind him, he could see a couple of buckets at the front edge of the building. He began to consider his options, when he heard a scraping sound on the roof line behind him.

His breath caught in his chest. The ladder!

Scrambling forward on hands and knees, Elwin dove in an attempt to reach the end of the ladder. His hand grabbed hold of the ladder’s edge, and he pulled. The jolt on the ladder came from a tug at the other end.

A stifled laugh from below cut off with the jarring halt of the ladder. Elwin clasped a firm hand on his end and heaved with all of his might, but the ladder still didn’t give.

Once more, Elwin found himself looking down. Feffer seemed smaller at the other end. His red hair moved about as he struggled to gain a better hold on the ladder.

The ground blurred, and the roof began to rock again. Elwin almost loosed the ladder, but Feffer’s mocking laugh made him tighten his grip. He would not let Feffer get the best of him. He pulled with all his strength and gained an inch, then two. Then a foot. Then two. And then the ladder stopped moving.