Chapter 33

“What the bloody hell does that mean?” Nessa asked. It was way too early in the morning for her riddles.

“Typical good-mannered conversation” Al’ik said with a smirk, “I believe it means you are to help someone change, how would I know? Its your fate, not mine. I’m a healer, not a fortune teller.”

“Then how did you see my fate?” Nessa asked.

“I’m not sure, that’s why I debated as to tell you or not. It seemed quite serious to me, so I decided I would pass it on. It is now for you to decode what it is supposed to mean.” Al’ik replied, “Now eat this and you are good enough to be on your way.”

Nessa nodded, sat down and took the food she was given. She hated riddles and was never good at them so she had no idea what, “show an outwards sign of an inwards change” meant. Shaking her head in frustration she looked up and saw Al’ik sitting across from her smiling. “What?” she asked.

“Oh nothing, just seeing you mull that over is quite amusing for me” Al’ik chuckled. Nessa once again noticed her earring flapping about as she laughed.

“How do I get some of those?” Nessa asked out of curiosity, “It will help keep my future man loyal is all.”

“It is not just for that” Al’ik said smiling, “It shows true commitment to the person you give it to, showing you are willing to share everything, including emotions with that person.”

“Yeah minor set back” Nessa argued. It seemed she was dead serious so Al’ik said.

“I have another set of desaan earrings you may take, but it will cost you. Strange you would ask for such a thing. Is there a reason?”

“Cost me what?” Nessa said with a shock looking around, “I don’t have anything to offer you. I don’t know why I would like them, but ever since I saw them, I had a strange feeling that has pushed me into getting a set.”

“I shall ask you for a memory.” Al’ik said crossing her arms with a smile.

“You want me to give you a memory for those earrings?” Nessa said raising an eyebrow in suspicion, “What for and what memory?”

“That reason is my own. I will use a way for the memory to be chosen, it is a spell that I will use on you, and it will choose a memory that connects yourself and myself.” Al’ik said, continuing to smile. Nessa noticed that she was a little too happy at the price.

“So you’re telling me that you will possess the memory that your spell chooses and I lose it?” Nessa asked. She had no idea what the use of possessing something as useless as someone else’s memory.

“Yes.” Al’ik said, “I will have that memory and you will lose it. Almost like forgetting, just permanently forgetting.”

“Any clues to what memory it will choose?” Nessa asked, she was starting to think the price might be a little too steep for her liking, what if it chose a memory of how to walk, or how to ride, or her fighting memories.

“Like I said, it will choose a memory that connects us, I do not know which one, but rest assured, you will still remember how to go to the toilet” she laughed.

“Well that’s a relief” Nessa added with a huff, “Fine you have a deal.” She could not explain why the thought had arrived in her brain about possessing a set of desaan earrings, all she knew is she wanted a set.

“Good, let me get everything ready, it wont take long, then I will help you on your way back to where ever you are going” Al’ik said with a wink. Why did she always look like she knew more than she let off Nessa asked herself. She grabbed a jar, 2 gold rings that had silver symbols on them and pushed the chairs to face each other and left a foot gap between them. She put the jar square in the middle between the chairs and motioned for Nessa to sit on one chair and she sat in the other. She handed Nessa one of the rings and told her to put it on. Nessa sat down and did what she was told and put the ring on Al’ik did the same, sitting down and putting the other ring on her own finger. “Shortly once I cast the spell, it will feel a little strange starting from your finger that the ring is on, that is the way the spell finds a link between us and then when the spell has chosen the memory that connects us, a ball of light will appear in between us, we are both to touch the ball and the memory will then fall into the jar and once that happens, our transaction is complete. Do you agree to continue?”

“Yes, I agree” Nessa said.

“Good, let us begin.” Al’ik said. She spoke a language Nessa did not recognise, but as soon as the words were spoken, the symbols on the ring she wore seemed to light up. Shortly after she felt a little jolt, almost like a shock on her finger which quickly travelled up her arm and neck. The tinge of discomfort disappeared once it must have reached her head, but soon she felt nothing at all. She looked up at Al’ik, who just winked at her. It was about 5 minutes before she saw a tiny crackle appear in the gap between them, which slowly grew in size to about the same size as a tennis ball. Once it had stopped growing, Al’ik reached her hand out and touched the ball and nodded for Nessa to do the same. She reached her hand out and the moment she touched it she felt some of her strength drain away and felt a little dizzy like she was spinning on the spot incredibly fast. A few seconds later the feeling stopped and a white substance dropped out of the ball and into the jar, Al’ik quickly let go of the ball and slammed the lid onto the jar and closed it tight. Shortly after Nessa took her hand away from the ball and removed the ring.

“So what memory did it take?” Nessa asked out of curiosity, she was running through her thoughts and nothing seemed amiss.

“I’m not sure, when I get some time, I will be sure to find out” Al’ik replied picking the jar up and bring it close to her face as thought it may do something.

“So, what do you need it for?” Nessa asked again.

“Here are your set of desaan earrings, as promised” she said changing the subject, “I have my own use for this, that is all I will say about it.”

Admitting she was not going to get anymore from Al’ik made Nessa stop her questioning. “You also said something about helping me close the distance between here and home?”

“Yes I did, I can open a portal to the eastern most edge of Valen for you, but I cannot make it go any further” Al’ik said, “opening portals across borders is forbidden without the emperor’s permission and will bring severe consequences when they find me.”

“Not a worry at all, any distance you can help me make up, the better for me” Nessa said agreeing, she was aware of the portal rule and it was policed regularly by the most powerful mages in the land.

“Very well, gather your things and meet me at the back of the cave” Al’ik said, standing and walking off.

A little confused, Nessa gathered her things and walked off in the same direction Al’ik did. She found Al’ik looking at the circular cave painting and was holding onto some yellow chalk. She started drawing symbols around the circle painting in an arch, and when the last symbol was drawn the circle painting lit up with a blue wave, Al’ik had her own personal portal in her cave, no wonder she was able to travel around so quickly, Nessa was surprised she hadn’t figured that out herself. Must be slipping she thought, Nessa prided herself on paying good attention to her surroundings.

“Until next time young Umbra” Al’ik said bowing her head slightly smiling.

“Yes, hopefully we meet again” Nessa said doing the same out of respect. Throwing her bag over her shoulder she stepped into the portal. She had the familiar feeling of being thrust forward and a few seconds later she went through the other side. Looking around to get her bearings she noticed Al’ik had sent her to the edge of Valen and Kadota Desert just as she had promised. Smiling Nessa knew what heading she needed and started walking straight east.

It was not long before she had gotten to the edge of a familiar forest, looking up she noticed it would be nightfall soon and she would need cover for a good night’s sleep. So, she continued up a small hill which she knew would be a good vantage point to go into the trees there and rest in a fork of some branches and then continue her journey home tomorrow morning. She was only halfway up the hill when she heard voices, one was female and one was a large male, she did not want trouble and had just turned on her heel to walk away and choose another spot when the next few words she heard made her freeze.

“They will kill Rex?”

Rex, they said the one word she had not wanted to hear for a long time, and seeing how well he could fight and how much raw power he possessed, who was strong enough to actually try killing him? Nessa thought. It seemed like a huge conflict inside of her was growing, she wanted nothing more to do with Rex after their last confrontation nearly killed her, but she also wanted to know who was powerful enough to overcome Rex. Swearing under her breath she turned back and started to sneak up the hill once more to see if she could learn anything new. Hiding behind a tree a good distance away she heard the woman say, “I am not good enough to get that close without alerting them, they have a mana tablet with them, it will glow if I come close to it. We need to figure out how to get in there and find out what they did to him.”

Someone had done something to Rex that had allowed him to get captured. What in the world had that much power to make Rex helpless? This prospect was just too tempting for Nessa and before she could stop herself, she had already walked out from her cover and towards the two people who were looking out towards the clearing, one was a small person, Nessa presumed a girl by the stature and posture, had Rex found a girlfriend she thought slightly jealous for a second. It was not long before the giant that was beside her stood up and turned around and had a giant axe I his hands at the ready.

“You sneak good, but Charr has heard you, come out” Charr said.

“Who is there?” Lizz said turning around and looking into the trees.

“Someone who may be able to help” Nessa said raising her hands up and walking out from the tree line.