Chapter Two: A Shift in Plans

On their way to Flux, Ash and River visit Flora.

When Ash awoke the next morning, the sound of horses was coming down the road. He dropped silently to Rivers hammock, one branch beneath his. Gently he shook River awake. They waited until whoever was on the horses to pass before dropping to the ground.

The day was very young. Lonura, the moon, was still in the sky but the sun, Scorlin, was rising over the western horizon. Hopefully, Ash thought, they could get to Flora’s hut by midday.

River was carefully looking over the map while Ash tried to erase all evidence of them having camped the night by the road. When River was sure he knew where to go and Ash was satisfied no one would know they had been in the area, they searched for edible berries and roots. Having lived with an herbalist for as long as either of them could remember it was fairly easy for them to get enough food for a day’s trip.

Only an hour had past when the brothers finally started for Flora’s hut. River lead the way with Ash only a pace behind him. They traveled fairly fast, reaching what River thought was about halfway by the time Scorlin reached the tips of the trees.


Along the way Ash gathered berries and plants in the sack that once carried all his ‘acquired’ items to be sold. The bag was filled tightly within the hour but the periodic stopping to pick berries slowed progress.

They stopped midday at a small stream. They drank from where the water was running rapidly. Before they continued River added the stream to the map. Ash swam to pass the time in a shallow eddy.

There were no stops from then on. They reached the lake near Flora’s house barely three hours after midday. They followed the lake to a clearing where a small hut stood.

The hut was made of wooden logs and one wall was a large Oak tree. Moss and flowers grew on the roof and a wild assortment of plants scattered the clearing. Ash could tell most of the plants had some sort of magical properties because a lot of them Flora had bought at Curt’s shop.

A small path lead to the door of the hut. The path was lined with red and yellow flowers. The path itself was softly covered in clovers. Ash was about to step onto the path when River tapped him on the shoulder.

“Look there.” River said softly. He pointed to the west of the hut near the edge of the clearing.

A small figure was sitting on a tree stump. It was obviously an Elf and Female with their pointed ears and slim figure. Ash recognized the short cropped brilliant red hair tucked slightly behind the ears and the beautiful shape of the body. Flora was even beautiful to Ash from far away. A smile crept to his face.

“It’s just Flora.” Ash said to River.

“No look.” River said hurriedly as he pointed slightly to Flora’s left. A wolf was crouched in the woods, its eyes focused on Flora.

“Flora look out!” Ash yelled running towards her.

Flora leapt up startled. She turned towards Ash with a puzzled look but a smile brightened her face as she recognized Ash and River. The wolf darted into the woods. Ash stopped a few feet from Flora.

“There was a wolf,” He started to explain. “I thought it was going to attack you.”

“You mean Ripper?” Flora asked. “He wouldn’t harm me. Thanks for the concern though.”

“Ripper? It has a name?” Ash asked confused.

“Yes. He protects me.” Flora explained.

“More druidic magic?”

“Yes. Very handy in the woods.”

“Very.” Ash laughed.

“Hey Flora!” River exclaimed sitting at her door. “I like your house!”

“Thank you!” Flora yelled back than turned towards Ash. “Come, let’s talk inside. I would like to know why I am gifted with a visit so soon.”

Ash had decided that he would not tell Flora the truth. He did not want her afraid of him. Curt had been an exception of the fear most people got when they learned who he was and he did not want to risk Flora’s friendship. He hoped River would come to the same conclusion.

Flora led Ash into her home, stopping only to pat River on the head. The hut was only one room that was curtained off near the back. Ash thought briefly that her bed must be behind the curtain.

The room was furnished with two chairs, a small stool and a round table. All of the furniture had a pattern of their owner’s namesake. Flora gestured for them to sit.

Ash and River than seated themselves on the two chairs. Flora moved the stool in front of the chairs. She sat down and smiled.

“What brings you here?” Flora asked. “Surely it’s not convenient.”

“I wish it was.” Ash Answered.

“We, uhm, needed to leave Dusklight.” River suggested.

“For what reason?” Flora asked, a perplexed look crumpled her beautiful face.

“Pissed off the wrong people.” Ash explained, which wasn’t exactly a lie.

“Like who?” Flora asked.

“A mage and maybe the Duke.” River stated.

“They would be the wrong people to piss off alright.” Flora said than asked, “How?”

River glanced at Ash. Ash shrugged slightly, still not determined to have Flora to know they were thieves. And defiantly didn't want her to know nothing more than that.

“The Duke wanted to buy Curt’s shop, something about a new tax. Curt said no, but pay any tax he was fined. The Duke wasn’t happy and sent a mage to try to convince Curt to reconsider. I punched him.” Ash lied. He hoped she would buy it.

“How did you make it out alive?” Flora wondered.

“Threw him out a window.” Ash explained.

“What happened to Curt?”

Ash hesitated, still hurt by Curt’s loss. River took over. But he did not lie.

“He,” River began, drew in a deep breath than continued. “Didn’t make it out. The shop was destroyed. He never made it out.”

Flora gasped. She gave River a hug, who had started to cry. Ash stood up and faced away from Flora. A tear ran down his cheek.

“We will only stay for a couple of days. Then we will leave for Flux.” Ash whispered, afraid his voice would betray his sorrow.

“Rest here. I promise by the time you leave I’ll have you smiling.” Flora promised.

Ash nodded. He stepped outside of the cabin. He needed to be alone. So he walked through the field of herbs. Subconsciously he rubbed the palm of his right hand.

Numb, Ash walked. He walked until he came to a secluded clearing somewhere south of Flora’s hut. In the center of the clearing he sat. There he cried.

A red light filled the clearing. Ash was screaming. He had lost the man who had been like a father to him. He did not want to be feared and hated. He only had River left and River needed him to be strong. For all the pain and fear, Ash screamed. He screamed until he passed out. Then, the light faded away.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ash walked into Flora’s hut hours later. River was eating a bowl of stew. Flora was boiling water and adding herbs into the pot while muttering and gesturing vaguely over the bubbling water. When Ash walked into the hut River smiled and than seeing the grim look on Ash’s face, frowned. Flora didn’t even glance up.

Ash gestured to Flora. “What is she doing?” He asked River.

“She’s doing some spell, something about a healing potion. Since you left Flora hasn’t said much.” River explained.

“What do you mean?” Ash asked, perplexed.

“A couple of minutes after you left she suddenly went quite and hasn’t said anything except words for her spell.”

“Did you see the light?”

Ash was now whispering and he had drawn closer to River.

“Slightly.”

“Did Flora?”

“I don’t think so. If she did, she didn’t show it.”

“We have to leave first thing tomorrow. That mage must have felt the magic surge. I’m sure he has some spell that detects our energy and now I glow like a hot coal.”

Just than Flora stood up. She stretched and filled a couple of vials with the liquid from the cauldron.

“You’re back.” Flora said. “Good I just finished some healing potions for you. Some Druidic magic to help you on your way.”

“Thank you.” Ash replied sincerely.

Flora handed Ash six bottles filled with a reddish brown liquid.

“So when will you leave?” flora asked. “You are welcome to stay as long as you desire.”

“Tomorrow,” Ash stated, “Early morning.”

“Why so soon? Sure a mage is after you, but no one travels to meet me often.”

“He’s probably tracking our energy.”

“He must be a very powerful mage to track you so far off the main road. Or maybe your energy is so high it’s not hard to follow you.”

“He summoned the dead to attack Curt’s house.”

“Hmm…“ Flora now seemed deep in thought. “He seems very powerful indeed.”

“That is why we must leave before he reaches us and kills you to.”

“Or you could take me with you.”

Flora stared Ash in the eyes. Ash was not sure if she was playing with him or if she meant it. Ash knew Flora would not make it long in Gorn-To.

“It’s too dangerous.” Ash answered after a second of thought.

“I can handle myself well. And how can Flux dangerous?”

“Flux is not, Gorn-To is.”

Flora paused. Flora knew the town of the Exiled did not take kindly to people who where citizens of the Kingdom.

“You may need more of my magic if you are going to Gorn-To.” Flora tried to reason.

“We can make our own magic. It’s what we do.”

“I thought you where herbalists apprentices.”

“I was. Learned a few tricks from a couple of mages that accompanied our higher class customers.”

“You will need more than a few tricks in Gorn-To. I do magic for a living.”

“Trust me we will be fine.”

“Hey Flora, what is that?” River asked from across the room.

River was pointing to a vial filled with a deep green liquid. The vial was sitting on a shelf near the roof.

“Nothing, just a potion to boost one’s magic power.” Flora answered.

“That’s impossible. A persons magic is tied to their soul. If someone gained more power their soul would have to increase in size or age.” Ash said. He never had heard of such a potion.

“It does but there is a bit of youth potion in the potion as well.”

“Youth potions only un-ages the body and would not be necessary because the soul would age and the body would not be effected.”

Flora had no answer for Ash and River now. She turned towards the stew that was slowly steaming over the fire. She dipped in a bowl and sat down. She sighed.

“What is it really?” River asked.

“A bottle of pure magic,” Flora explained

“Isn’t pure magic clear?” Ash asked.

“Yes.” Flora answered. “It’s my magic. It must be green because I’m a druid.

“That doesn’t make any sense. All magic radiates the same energy.” Ash said.

“Mine doesn’t.”

“Obviously.”

“An Elven duke who came to buy a sleeping potion noticed it. He said that he had heard stories of colored magic. He said he heard about it in the Legend of the Marked. But I know I don’t have a mark anywhere. I checked that night.”

At the mention of the marked Ash and River froze. The legend of the Marked was a well known legend. Most also knew it wasn’t a legend at all.

Several decades ago a dark race of beings call the Crashoun had started a war with the other three races, Humans, Elves and Dwarves. The races where divided and two Kingdoms were established. The Ganri Kingdom sided with the Crashoun and was located to the west and north. The Everlast Kingdom believed in justice and was more heavily populated. The two Kingdoms fought long and hard, but the Ganri had the might of the dark Crashoun and were steadily winning. Some creatures of great power, the Dragons, Serpents, Griffons, Trents, and Æthers (shadow like creatures that are good in nature), saw evil and injustice winning a war for control and sided with the Everlast Kingdom. Everlast than had the upper hand and the tides of battle turned in their favor. Until the Crashoun and the Ganri created a new race by fusing the Crashoun’s dark energy with crystalline golems. The crystals in the golems caused the dark energy to seep into every space in the golems, which than fused with the magic that animated the golems to create a dark twisted form of a soul. The Crysdarks, as they came to be called, returned the battle to the Ganri’s hand. As a last ditch effort the Everlast people and their elemental allies made an attempt to create a group of hero’s to destroy the Crysdarks. Each race of elemental creature chose a man and woman that had the skills necessary to harbor their energy. The Dragons chose warriors of great strength and heart. The Serpents chose warriors of speed and cleverness. The Trents chose warriors of physical endurance and an affinity to nature. The Griffons chose warriors of great stamina and honor. And the Æthers chose warriors of stealth and mystery. Two of the elementals than infused their spirit with the chosen warriors. The warriors than had limitless magic that took the form of the element that the elemental that gave them their energy represented. The only physical change was a mark of the elemental that they had been infused with. With the help of these Marked, the Everlast Kingdom won the war.

The part that the people are afraid of is after the war. The Everlast King and Queen had always respected the people’s wishes and most of the people wanted the Marked gone. Mages and high nobles did not want to lose their seat of power and the common people were scared that the Marked would use their power to take over. It was decided that they should be killed. Betrayed, they left Everlast. What happened to them is a mystery.

For the most part that is. Ash and River have a little insight. They had learned from Curt that their mother and father had been two of the Marked. Their mother was a Dragon Marked and their father a Serpent Marked. That was about all they knew about their parents, or what happened to the Marked. Expect one more thing.

They too, where Marked! Ash had inherited their mothers Mark and River their fathers.

They had thought they were the last, or only ones left that where Marked. Yet now they found someone who might be just like them. Flora didn’t notice Ash and Rivers momentary hesitation, but she did turn towards them.

“What would a Mark look like anyways?” Ash feigned innocence. “I mean no one knows right?”

“I researched the legend and found that the marks were always located in a place that corresponded with their personality. I figured mine would be on my hands. I didn’t find anything though.”

“Your hands,” Ash sounded confused, “Why your hands?”

“Because I use my hands for everything, to do my magic, cut the herbs and befriend animals. All require my hands.”

“Yet you use words in your magic and words to sooth the animals, why not your tongue than?”

Flora looked slightly scared. In truth she didn’t want to be Marked. She believed the Marked betrayed the Kingdom like everyone was told. She didn’t want that to be her heritage.

“Wait,” River said than asked puzzled, “What about your parents? If you are Marked than your parents would have been.”

“I never knew my parents. They were killed when I was an infant. A Druid took me in. He was a friend of my parents. He said they were killed saving me from a robbery. I don’t think a Marked would die in a robbery.”

Ash was deep in thought. He tried to remember the first time his Mark had given him power. He had just been told his mother and father where dead. The pain and sorrow he felt overwhelmed him. A bright red light blinded him and when he came to, the strength he felt scared him but gave him courage to look after his brother and carry on.

Ash also knew about Rivers first time feeling the magic. River had learned a great secret; the Duke of Dusklight had been selling the local farmers crops to a band of thieves that gave a portion of their stolen goods to the Duke for his protection. Learning that secret had triggered a series of events that ended with Ash and River involved with Curt’s attempts to get the Duke caught in his corrupt ways. River found that he was exceptionally good solving complex traps and anything that involved using his wits. River was forced to disarm and open a series of very complex box locks, pushing his cunning to his limits. He had just finished when his eyes flared blue and he fainted. After long hours, with Ash’s help, River learned to his power of cunning at given times but it flares when he is put to the test.

Ash saw the look in Rivers eyes, one that normally only comes after a particularly lock has been picked. A slight fear came over him. This was not the time for both of them to be so full of magic. And even with the possibility of Flora being Marked, Ash did not want to risk her reaction to finding out they are.

“Me and River need to talk,” Ash said hurriedly, “We will be outside.”

Before Flora could respond, Ash grabbed River and they rushed outside. River was overcome with magic that he couldn’t hold still. At first he twitched, than he shook. Then suddenly he broke from Ash’s grasp and ran into the woods.

Ash would have followed but he knew it was pointless. So instead he walked into the woods to wander aimlessly and think. He had been thinking a lot lately.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It seemed to Ash hours had passed since River had fled into the woods. When in reality not even ten minutes had gone by since Ash had started to wander. Red eyes and a hoarse throat accompanied Ash back to Flora’s hut. He found River sitting a few feet off in the field.

“What are we going to do now?” River asked as Ash approached. “With both of them so magically hot, what can we do?”

“Not stay here.” Ash answered. “That mage the Duke has on us won’t be far behind now. Plus the risk of Flora finding out we’re Marked if we stay is greater.”

“She might be Marked.” River spoke in barely a whisper.

“If she is, I don’t know what that would change. She doesn’t like the Marked to begin with, you could tell in the way she sounded ashamed when she thought she might Marked.”

“When do we leave?”

“A few hours to get ready than, we go.”

“Still to Gorn-To?”

“Yes. The rebels might find kinship with us.”

“Or kill us.”

“Let’s not go there.”

Ash and River walked back into Flora’s house. Flora was tending some herbs at a back window. She turned around when she heard them come in.

“You guys were gone for awhile. Must have been an important talk.” Flora said setting down a small reddish-green leafed plant.

“It was.” Ash said than continued, “We decided to leave sooner than originally planned.”

“Because I could be Marked? Or is it some other reason why suddenly you decide to leave?”

“It’s not because you might be Marked Flora, it’s because we don’t want to put you in danger if we are found.” The statement was partly true so Ashe didn’t feel too bad about lying a little.

“How could he find you so easily now?” Flora questioned.

“Powerful mages can track people. I just think that maybe we didn’t hide our trail

as well as we thought. River forgot to hide our hammocks.” A half truth.

“Well if you’re going to leave take some food with you. You will need it more than I will.”

“Thank you.”

Little more was said as Flora put some food in a sack. Ash was disappointed that they had to leave but any second the mage could show. He knew that if he had the chance he would return here.

“I’m sorry that our visit was so troubled, but thanks for your help.” Ash thanked Flora.

“See you when we can.”

“Glad I could help.” Flora smiled.

“Bye Flora.” Was all River said, not because he didn’t have anything else to say, but because he didn’t know what else to say.

“Bye River.” Flora said sweetly.

Ash and River walked out of Flora’s house. Ash wondered briefly if Flora really was Marked but the thought didn’t linger long. There were better things to think about.

Just when the house was going to out of sight River turned around and waved.

Than Ash smiled and waved too. They walked away. Their next stop was Flux.