>[!note|left no-i]+ Chapters >- [[#I.]] >- [[#II.]] >- [[# III.]] >- [[# IV.]] >- [[#V.]] >- [[#VI.]] >- [[#VII.]] >- [[#VIII.]] >- [[#IX.]] >- [[#X.]] ### I. His eyes shot open just in time to watch the clouds above dissipate into a clear blue sky. He lay, naked as the day he was born in the middle of a clearing. Not another soul in sight. A warm breeze swept across the barren terrain, tousseling shaggy dark mane. It was not a powerful gale, nor was it a gust to be ignored.  Sitting up, he looked across the landscape. For what seemed like miles all he could see was rocky, sun-scorched terrain. Directly to the left, however, loomed an impressive mountain range, their ragged snow-capped peaks jutting into the sky like teeth, laughing that mischievous laugh, as to a joke of which only he knew the punchline. Laying his head back down on the dirt, the man closed his eyes and listened; The midday sun pounded overhead. It was the only thing that seemed to be existent. All else forgotten.  Where am I? The man thought. This was unlike any place he had ever seen...for that matter, where had he seen before? The man shot up from his bed of dirt straight to his feet, staring wide-eyed in every direction. No matter where he turned, he was met with the same view. With the exception of the mountain range, that view equaled more dirt and rock. Looking down, the man checked his hands, his torso, the ground, anything to give him a signal as to where he was who he was. Alas, he came back empty handed. The man sat back on the gravel collecting his thoughts. He didn’t seem injured in any way and he seemed fairly well rested. After taking stock, the man stood yet again, and started to walk. To where, he did not know, but the mountains seemed a promising bet to at least escape the heat and something in the back of his mind urged him that it was always a good idea to follow the direction of the wind.  As the man trekked midday turned to afternoon, afternoon to evening and as the sun fell below the horizon, the oppressively hot day began to shift to bitter cold. With nothing but the skin on his back he had no choice but to continue forward. At first, the weather did not bother the man, but as the night grew longer, so did the air feel colder and began to seep deeper into his bones. One foot, step, next foot, step. The man held to this mantra for as long as he could until at last the cold breached the final layer of defense and the man collapsed. The once warm breeze became a frosty breath.  Warmth of the sun coated the man’s body as he batted his eyelids open for the second time. Sitting up he looked around again, but this time, fatigue and pain riddled his body. Pushing himself up to his knees he surveyed his surroundings. I must continue, he thought to himself and proceeded to stand. One leg, then the next, until he was on his two feet, albeit slightly unbalanced, but standing all the same. The warm breeze was back, ebbing as if urging him forward towards the snow-capped mountains that lay ahead.  As the day dragged on, the man grew more tired and more weary and the need for nourishment and water plunged to the forefront of his mind. Doing a quick scan of the rough terrain proved to be in vain. Steeling himself, the man continued on his path. One foot, step, next foot, step, next foot, step. Each step began to bring more pain and each breath reminded him of how dry his mouth had become. For any chance of survival he had to get to the mountains. Follow the wind, a small voice reminded him. But the wind wouldn’t bring food nor water and there was no guarantee the mountains would bring any nourishment either. The man collapsed yet again with only the sun and mountains as witness…  ### II. Jaem Janiver was a mason by trade. Born and raised in the village of Penfeld south of the Gwyntop Mountains, Jaem lived a good life. He paid his taxes to the Xurian Empire and in return was able to live peacefully with his wife Lina. Being a mason wasn’t necessarily easy work by any means, but it’s what he was good at. In all honesty, even if he wasn’t he wouldn’t have much choice in the matter. His father, and his father before him were also masons so from the day he was born this was his destiny and that was that.  “Be safe out there,” Lina said to Jaem as he was rummaging through a closet at the entrance of their home. Every two weeks Jaem left Penfeld to trek the desolate wasteland outside the village in order to collect stone and other materials that the wasteland had to offer. Some called the wasteland, well, a wasteland, but truth be told to Jaem and his forefathers the wasteland was a goldmine.  “Yes, yes I will be. Don’t you worry. I’ll be back before you even know I’m gone.” Jaem’s collection station was only about a mile outside the village, but a mile on foot was nothing to laugh at, especially given the heat and harsh conditions the wasteland offered. “Plus I’ll have Milde by my side like always to keep me company and carry the load.”  As Jaem finished gathering his supplies, he kissed his wife goodbye and made his way to the stable in the back. Lina followed stuffing bread, water, and dried meats in a bag enough to last the two to three days he would be gone. Giving his wife another kiss goodbye, Jaem loaded up a wheeled cart and attached it to Milde who bayed irritably right in Jaem’s ear. Always seems to be the tradition with her, as if she didn’t know it was coming, silly girl. Maneuvering the donkey out of her stall, Jaem checked his shoes to make sure they were fit correctly and set off.  While hating the aspect of leaving his wife every couple of weeks, he did enjoy his time alone. It gave him time to reflect and think on matters of no consequence, like, why is the sun so hot? Why is the sky blue? Why is stone grey and dirt brown? But also, it gave Jaem a chance to connect with the land, connect with himself, and connect with his ancestors that made this journey time and time again. “Looks like I’m stuck with you again old girl,” Jaem said to Milde midway through the journey to the collection station, or the “hut” as he liked to call it. Jaem made it a habit to keep his eyes to the ground as he made this trek. One never knew what good stone might be lurking in even the most picked over places.  As Jaem and Milde rolled up on the hut, something felt off. Not anything easily detectable, but something made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Today didn’t seem really any different than other days, on the surface at least, but still off all the same. With a pet on her nose, Jaem, tied Milde to the post outside the hut and quietly crept up to the front door. Looking at the door, the latch seemed to be locked just as he left it. Carefully unlocking the latch, Jaem opened the door with a mighty push and looked around the room. Everything seemed to be in place just as he’d left it. Rubbing the back of his neck, Jaem walked back outside to Milde and began undoing the fastens that held his bags and pack on the cart. Little by little, he brought each item into the hut to be put in its proper place. The work began in the morning.  Jaem walked over to the small kitchen, if you could even call it that, on the far side of the hut to unpack a snack that his wife had packed as well as some feed for Milde. Piece of dried meat in one hand and feed bag in the other, Jaem walked outside.  Tugging at her lead line, Milde seemed to be in disarray. “Whoa girl what’s the matter?” Looking around the animal, the feeling Jaem felt earlier that day was back, but somewhat stronger. After a short while he was finally able to calm Milde down. Something still seemed off, though. That’s odd Jaem thought as he looked about the purpling sky. The breeze he had felt earlier seemed  to have shifted and almost seemed to be tapping him, urging him towards the hut.  Hmmmm, he thought as he continued soothing Milde. He’d felt something akin to this before, but it was always ever just a muscle twitch or something of that nature. After finally soothing Milde and before checking around the hut he made to go back inside to grab her “coat.” Nights out here could get pretty bitter after all. As Jaem turned to go back into his hut did he hear a noise, a light, ragged noise, almost like a breath.  “Honestly!” Jaem exclaimed looking at Milde. “I swear!” Jaem stomped into the hut, grabbed his lantern, and marched back outside to look around the hut. Nothing on the left. Stomping to the otherside proved just as uneventful. Finally, he made his way to the back. As he rounded the corner of the hut, lamp hand outstretched, Jaem took one look and jumped ten feet in the air, lamp flying over head and crashing to the ground in a mighty CRACK.  “What the…” panting and looking down he saw crumpled up against the back of the hut a man, butt naked and unmoving. Cautiously, Jaem stepped closer to the man until he was about an arms length away and reached out.  “Hey, um, are you…” he touched the man’s shoulder and it was cold as ice. As instincts took hold Jaem legged it inside his hut, replaced his lamp, and grabbed a good down jacket. Returning to the man, he laid the jacket over his body. Rushing back inside he grabbed some wood, tinder, and flint. Milde watched as Jaem walked back and forth, back and forth arms full one minute, empty the next, so on and so forth. Jaem built a fire for the man to try warming him up, brought food, water, as well as some extra clothes he had stashed in his hut and waited. Looking at the man’s face and touching his forehead, it seemed as though the man was warming up. As Jaem sat bundled in his own jacket he drifted off to a slumber.  The sun rose above the horizon and greeted Jaem’s eyelids with a warm glow. Slowly, he batted open his eyes and took in a great breath through his nose as he stretched his arms above his head. Shifting onto his side, he pushed himself up and as he opened his eyes, the eyes of another met him. With a start, Jaem’s heart just about ran out of his chest all the way back to Penfeld. Catching his breath and hand to heart, Jaem spoke.  “You nearly gave me coronary last night young man. I thought you were dead!” The man just stared at him. “Who are you? Where are you from, and what are you doing out here all alone, and in nothing but your birthday suit of all things!” Eyes blue as ice and hair dark as night, the man continued to stare at Jaem. “Do you even understand me?” Jaem asked as anxiety started to set in again. “Well we can’t sit here all day, you and I, can you stand?” Jaem stood up and the man’s eyes followed. Jaem motioned with his hands in an upward direction and the man seemed to understand. He began to shift his weight forward, crawled onto all fours, and made his way to standing all the while using the hut as a balance. Once the man was up, Jaem went to grab the man’s arm to help, but the man pulled back suddenly. “I’m not gonna hurt you.” Jaem soothed and slowly went for the man’s arm again. This time, the man let Jaem put his arm around him to help him to the inside of the hut.  Once in the hut, Jaem helped the man to a chair at the table in the middle of the room. He then grabbed a pitcher and filled it with water and placed it on the table alongside two empty cups. He then went to the stash that he had put away earlier that day and pulled out some bread for the both of them. Returning to the table, Jaem split the bread and gave the man one half and took the other for himself. Ripping a piece off with his teeth, Jaem asked again, “can you understand me? Who are you and how did you get here? I know you aren’t from around these parts. For one thing, you don’t look it, but for another, you see, I come from the town just about a mile down the road. Closest town after that isn’t too close.” Again the man just stared with those cool blue eyes. Then finally he took a sip of water and spoke.  Jaem sat there, brow furrowed, looking at the man. So he doesn’t speak any language I know...at least... “wait, can you say that again?” And again, the man spoke  “...understand...no...”  How in the world does this guy know Common? A language not spoken in these lands for years?  Jaem stared at the man. His mother had tried to teach him Common as a child because, as she always said, it is better to know too much about the world than to not know at all. A mason’s blood may run through your veins, but language is the key to connecting with humanity. Thinking back on his lessons he could remember some words and phrases, but definitely not enough to hold a conversation with someone who appears fluent in the language.  “Common speaking?” Jaem tried to pick out the most basic words he could that might form coherent thoughts.  “What Common?” said the man.  This was going to prove harder than he thought. Maybe start with something more basic, let’s try some introductions. “Jaem” Jaem took the index finger of his right hand and poked it into his own chest. “Name you?”  At that, the man gave no answer, but scrunched his eyebrows, looking concerned. Then after a time he finally spoke. Jaem began to pick out certain words and tried to form them into coherent thoughts.  “...name...no...wake...foreign...walk…”  So that gets me nowhere. And none of those sounded like a name…”So, name no?” he asked.  The man again looked concerned, then pointed to himself and said “Name?” then took both of his hands to the top of his head and made a whooshing outward motion.  “Hmph.” Jaem grunted. If I can read body language, I’d have to say he’s forgotten his name. At that, Jaem stood up from the table and outstretched his arm, motioning it up and down at the man’s body. “Hurt?” he asked. The man looked down at his legs, touched his arms and chest, and stretched out his body.  “No,” he said. As he said it, the man sprung up from his seat as if he had just woken up from the best sleep of his life.  Interesting thought Jaem. It was not an hour ago that he seemed to have had to help the man into the hut. That makes matters a bit easier I suppose and I still have work to do before I head back home. Jaem still had to put food on his table and still had to make enough money to pay taxes to the Xurian Empire. Rubbing the back of his head and looking at his feet, Jaem said “I, uh, don’t suppose you have anywhere to go and an extra pair of hands could really help me out. Might you help me pick up stone to bring back home?”  The man just stared at him and Jaem back at the man, then with a start realized his words fell on uncomprehending hears. “Um...you...help...um…” Jaem swung his head left, then right, looking for something to illustrate what he wanted to have the man do. Then his eyes fell on a single piece of stone about the size of a man’s head that was left over from the last journey. Rushing over to the stone, Jaem made as if to lift the stone, “you help?” The man walked over to Jaem and bent down, reached his hands out and made as if to help Jaem pick up the stone. “No, no, help, many,” Jaem motioned towards the outside, “my work?” The man’s head slowly turned up to meet Jaem’s gaze, back bent and hands outstretched towards the stone, then turned his gaze back to the stone. No one made a movement until finally the man cracked just the slightest smile. Jaem was startled at this new emotion he had not seen from the man. Finally the man lifted up and with a great chuckle said “Yes, I help.”  Standing up and clapping his hands together, Jaem swiftly moved towards the other side of the room and pulled an old booklet off the shelf called “A beginner’s Guide to Masonry.” It wasn’t quite a tome, but it wasn’t a small book by any means. Jaem couldn’t quite figure how long this book had been sitting on the shelves here at his hut, but he knew it wasn’t he, so it would have to have been bound to this place for over 50 years. As a young boy, he’d often pull this book off the shelf and rifle through it looking at all the pictures of the different types of stone, the different tools used in his destined craft, all the while piecing together the trade he’d been born to fill. There wasn’t much else a child could entertain themselves with in the middle of this wasteland.  “Here.” Jaem said as he placed the book in front of the man, “work. Stones.” Jaem opened the book to the very back which served as a picture glossary of sorts. Looking at the pictures, Jaem pointed to one “yes” another “no” until the man seemed to understand the task at hand. Replacing the book on the shelf Jaem threw a large smile on his face, clapped his hands together again and with an excited yelp said “we start!”  Over the course of the afternoon Jaem and the man scoured the landscape looking for stones of various shapes and sizes. Every so often the man would walk over to where Jaem stationed himself holding a large rock and ask, “Stone?” and hold up his arms for Jaem to check whether the stone was of the correct type. Depending on the stone Jaem would thumbs up “Yes!” or thumbs down “no!” As the afternoon wore on to evening, Jaem could feel his arms fatiguing along with his legs and head. He had a good pile of stone worked out and decided now was a good stopping point. Pulling a rag out of his sash, Jaem wiped his forehead and made his way over to the man. As he rounded the corner of the hut he was halted in his tracks.  Jaem pulled up on the man and not a stone lay in sight. Not a pile nor anything. Just the man leaned up against the hut looking out on the horizon.  “Stone?” Jaem asked somewhat incredulously and the man’s attention seemed to break.  “Yes, come.” the man said and led Jaem around to the cart attached to Milde. With a smile the man presented “stone!” proudly. Jaem was halted in his tracks a second time nearly tripping over his own feet. The cart was utterly filled with stone. More stone than Jaem thought he had ever pulled in one trek out to this cabin.  “How did you…” Jaem was at a loss for words. There is no way the man would have been able to pull all this stone to the cart for one thing, but for another to do it in such a short amount of time. Taking a look around him, Jaem scratched his head again. This would mean that he’d be able to head back to town first thing in the morning and judging by the quantity he saw here wouldn’t have to come back to the hut for another four weeks, over the standard two. “You really are something else boy…” The two walked over to Jaem’s pile and began the process of moving the stone to Jaem’s hut’s reserves. And if the man had some secret to completing his task in record time, he wasn’t giving anything away this time, unfortunately.  The next morning both men awoke at the crack of dawn. A cool fog blanketed the terrain and the air was crisp at the grey twilight of the morning. It wouldn’t last long though. The cool never lasted this long this far into the wasteland. Jaem lifted his head and swiveled his hips launching himself out of bed. He looked down at the man. Jaem had an extra cot in storage that he had used when he was a boy, but didn’t really have a use for these days. With a bit of airing out, the mattress was good as new. As Jaem looked at the man, he noticed the man’s eyes were wide open staring at the ceiling of the hut. “Hey,” Jaem called out to him, “we go now home.” The man’s trance seemed to be broken as he blinked and shook his head.  “Ok. We go.” With that the pair began to gather belongings; stuffing uneaten food into bags, rolling up the bed roll used for the man, and returning the undrunk water to the pitcher for the journey back home. After loading up Milde with the last of their belongings, Jaem had an idea. Rushing back into the hut, Jaem returned with a pencil and some paper.  “Teach speak?” Jaem asked and held out the paper to the man. The man peered at the paper and looked back up to Jaem questioningly. Sensing the confusion, Jaem pulled the man over to Milde’s flank, placed the piece of paper on her and in terrible script wrote out the same “teach speak” in Common then wrote the same out in Xurian. Pointing out both and looking to the man for comprehension, the man smiled.  “Yes, good help.” he said. With that the two finally set off on the long walk back to Penfeld, to home.  ### III. “Here we are!” Said Jaem as he and the man entered Penfeld. The sounds of the typically bustling day began to die down in the village as the sun was beginning to set over the horizon.  “This is your home?” the man said as the pair rolled up to a small hut. The home was not large, but not at all small either. Built out of a good grey stone, solid at the base and mortared perfectly leaving no trace of cracks between the intricately cut stone work. At the top was a roof cut from thick logs and topped with some sort of clay. Something the man had not really seen on other houses they had passed on the way through the village. In the back of the hut was what looked like a workshop. Tools meticulously organized on one wall, followed by a workbench and a plethora of pallets, no doubt meant for finished stone products meant for eager customers. Off to the side lay a large rectangular pen with crumbles of little rocks strewn about, probably meant for the stone that Jaem and himself had collected at the hut in the wasteland.  “Yessir! Now let’s get this stone unloaded! But first, let’s say hi to Lina so as not to frighten her.” Jaem let out a chuckle at the thought of scaring the pants off his wife, but immediately his smile turned sickly giving consideration to the whooping she’d give him. Jaem tied Milde’s line to the post outside the home and together with the man, entered the home. Upon first glance the man felt instant comfort. The day was cooling off to a chill breeze and radiant heat from what he could only assume was produced from the delicious smells coming from the room off to the side warmed his bones.  “Lina! We’re back!” From the back, Lina yelled out a questioning we? and came into the entryway holding a rag and wiping her hands. Gazing upon both faces standing before her a look of perplexion graced her face.  “Very nice to meeting you.” The man reached out for Lina’s hand and placed his other palm on top meeting her eyes with a smile. “Nice to, um, meet you as well,” Lina said with a smile, then immediately looked to Jaem, “Jaem, who might this be?”  He’s really progressed quite quickly with learning this language Jaem thought, but just as soon his thoughts were broken by his wife’s question. Before answering he found himself deep in thought again.  “Well, to be honest we’re, yes, we’re, not really sure...I know I know…” Jaem put his hands up in a calming gesture, “...that sounds a bit odd, but it was really quite an interesting situation.” Taking his wife by the shoulder and maneuvering her toward the kitchen he began to explain what had happened at the hut, gesturing for the man to follow. Jaem told Lina of how he found the man behind the hut, to learning that the man had no recollection as to how he came to be in the wasteland, to the speed and quantity at which the man was able to gather stone and how quickly he was able to excel at picking up the Xurian language. Lina sat staring first at the man, then back at Jaem, then back at the man, and again at Jaem.  “He doesn’t have a name? You let him go all this time without a name? Everybody’s got to have a name.” At that Jaem’s cheeks began to color.  “I, um, well we didn’t really think of it did we?” Jaem turned to look at the man and the man shrugged his shoulders. “You truly don’t remember how you came to this place? I don’t know if we ever got that far in talking about that.”  “No we did not. I do not remember how I came to here. I did not say to you, as I did not know how before, but I woke in the wasteland staring up at the sky to clouds that left fast. There were markings on the ground under my body, some sort of pattern I have not seen. Perhaps natural in your land? Then next memory I wake up behind hut to you and fire. That is all.”  Consternation filled the faces of both Lina and Jaem pattern, clouds, how interesting, Jaem thought. “Well I don’t know about patterns nor clouds in the wasteland, but Lina is right, you need a name. Do you know any names that you’d like to be called? Or maybe we can throw out something like, I don’t know, Emer or Billum? Lina, you’ve got a cousin named Colebrun, has a nice ring to it.”  Thought filled the man’s face as Jaem rattled off a list of names he knew. The man’s lips pursed as he listened, elbow coming to rest on his knee, hand to chin.  “This one you say I like.” the man said, perking up his head. “Viktor. It sound strong, but gentle at same time.”  Lina smiled, “Viktor it is.” Lina said as she stood from the chair at the kitchen table and pulled three bowls off the shelf. “Now, is Viktor hungry?” Looking back at the pair, Lina looked at Jaem and smiled.  That night after Lina had set Viktor in the second bedroom, Jaem and Lina lay in bed side by side. “You know, this whole trip out to the hut to collect stone was unlike any before, and not necessarily because I met some random person who happened to need help. Viktor picked out stone in record time, he collected a huge quantity of stone in record time, and he learned our language in record time. There seems to be something special about the boy, but I can’t tell what. All I do know is that he’d be a huge asset to the business and would really help getting the Empire off our backs when tax time comes around, not that it’s a problem, of course, but you see what I mean. We’d make enough to keep food on the table, keep home repairs up, and pay our taxes without breaking a sweat. I’d be able to travel less to the hut to collect stone if the quantity he can produce stays up, plus when I do have to make the trek the added company would be welcome. What do you say?”  For the second time Lina’s face broke into a smile. “If it allows you to stay here longer, then I’m all for it.”  The next day Viktor and Jaem began the arduous task of moving the collected stone to the storage pallet outside of Jaem’s workshop. That said, the task would have been arduous, but somehow Viktor moved with a grace and speed that made the stone seem light as a feather. In record time, the pair of them finished unpacking and organizing the stone. Pulling out the pitcher of leftover water from Milde’s pack, Jaem pulled out two cups and filled both halfway, extending one to Viktor and keeping one for himself. After taking a large gulp, Jaem broke the silence. “Viktor, you’ve helped me so much these past couple days, and I cannot thank you enough. What do you plan to do now?”  Viktor lowered the mug from his face and looked toward the mountains looming over the village. The wind seemed to brush over his shoulders making his unkempt hair ruffle in the breeze. “I do not know. I had plan to follow wind to the mountains to seek shelter from heat, but I do not know what await me there.” Twisting his mouth in a look of anger, or more, frustration, Jaem placed a  hand on Viktor’s shoulder and the look of frustration dissipated from Viktor’s face and Jaem’s face brightened at the sight.  “I could really use some help with the business. You’ve learned so much already about my work, about our language, that I’m confident you’d be able to pick up the trade like it’s nothing. You’ve been a huge help to me so far, what do you say? I’ll teach you everything you need to know.” With that, Viktor’s eyes met Jaem’s.  “I would like that very much.”  At that, Jaem clapped his hands together and set right in. The day’s work was already done and it wasn’t even noontime.  ### IV. “So you tell me, this land was once Dagolynian Nation. Then Xurian Empire claimed land as their own. Now you pay part of the money you make to Empire for them not to attack? Seem little unfair.” “Well yes, they don’t attack us for one thing, but for another they provide us protection from outside invaders. For the most part we’ve always had similar laws, just with minor differences. For one, magic was outlawed in the Empire, whereas here it was never written into the law, not that it ever mattered. I’m not really sure where that law came from to be honest.” He chuckled, “If anyone practiced magic they’d be long dead or forgotten by now. Other differences could be official language, official religion, all that nitty gritty. Alls I know is that Lina and I live good lives and have never had much trouble with the Empire.”  Something in that tugged at Viktor’s mind, but he couldn’t decipher the feeling. Was it anger? Dread? Whatever it was gave Viktor some feeling of anxiety that he couldn’t place. “Going off that, I might as well tell you about the tax system while we’re at it. This is what keeps us in the good graces of the Empire. You see each home and each business is assessed a tax each year and every month the Empire sends agents out to collect the taxes. Now say you have a home in one location and a business in another. The Empire would then tax both the home and the business as separate. Others who have their home and business in one are only taxed at one rate, like us. Since we’ve already been assessed our tax rate, when the agents come we’ll only need to pay the rate we’ve been assessed at. Next year I anticipate a slightly higher rate, because the rate gradually increases due to the value of the property, but with the amount you, Viktor, contribute to this business, I don’t think we’ll have a problem at all.”  Viktor looked at the stone storage and around the room. He turned to Jaem and nodded in understanding, but that feeling still tugged at him.  ### V. As the year went by Viktor and Jaem continued to work side by side. Viktor became adept at all aspects of a mason’s work. Jaem, as trained and skilled as he was as a mason, couldn’t keep up with the output Viktor put forth. Day after day, the day would start with a satisfying meal made by Lina, Viktor and Jaem would then set to work in the masonry. Work would last through the morning until the pair would stop for some nourishment, then would continue on into the afternoon until the sun started to set. Business was good and the rewards for good business were great for the three of them. Food, money, and taxes were no longer a problem, or so they thought.  It was nearing the end of the year and Jaem had anticipated the Empire would be posting their annual notice of tax increase, usually arriving on the first of the month preceding the beginning of the next calendar cycle, but much to the village’s dismay, the notice never came.  “You haven’t seen any posting from the Empire about taxes in town have you?” Jaem asked as Lina sat at the kitchen table after serving him, Viktor, and herself their evening meal.  “Not from what I could tell, though I had noticed that so when I went to pick up eggs this afternoon I asked old man Ewell at the hatchery and he too hadn’t seen anything of the sort.”  Mouth puckering in a look of confusion, Jaem shrugged his shoulders. The Empire wasn’t typically tardy with their notices, but stranger things have happened. “Well hopefully we have some sort of direction tomorrow. Viktor, typically I like to take a look at those tax rates ahead of time in order to get our finances ready for the coming year. Being on time with the Empire has always kept trouble to a minimum, as you know. Based on what we’ve had to do in the past, it’ll be good to overestimate what we need to pay next year, so at least we can get a head start.”  “That sounds good to me, but just out of curiosity, has the Empire ever been late with their postings in past?”  Boy, he speaks better than I do. “Typically no, but there was a time, Lina correct me if I’m wrong, that the empire was a bit late in their posting, but there were extenuating circumstances surrounding that. If memory serves, I think it was the Banafor family that had decided to converge their business and their home into one so the Empire sent out agents to assess their property and reclaim the vacated business structure.”  With a thoughtful look and a nod, they sat in silence, thinking and eating the rest of their meal. Tomorrow was going to be a big day of preparation for the coming year.  ### VI. Jaem woke with a bolt as he heard slamming come from the front of the house. Jumping out of bed he looked over at Lina who was sitting up. Fear and confusion pasted on her face. Grabbing his robe, he made his way out of the bedroom and into the hallway leading to the main area of the house. As he rounded the corner he met Viktor who was standing peering out to the front.  “Someone is banging at the door calling for you.” Viktor said as Jaem met him by his side. “Open up or we’ll break the door down!” called a voice. More banging.  Steeling himself, Jaem briskly, if not reluctantly walked to the front door and opened it. Suddenly four men in what looked to be polished armor pushed the door inside followed by a shorter balding man dressed in fine silks. His nose was a bit too large for his scrunched face and he had an air about him as if he had never once known struggle in his life. In his left hand he held a clipboard with some unreadable paper and a pencil behind his ear.  “Who are you? What is the meaning of this?” Jaem demanded, “You can’t just enter a person’s house like this!”  The man stared at Jaem for a second then began, “Where are my manners? My name is Irwin Donlin, royal tax collector and assessor of the Xurian Empire. And you,” he looked at his clipboard, “are Jaem, Jaem Janiver is it? Mason by trade, wife Lina, and child, hmm, no child. Pity. And who might this be?” The man looked from his clipboard to Viktor. For a moment, everyone was silent and the man’s left eyebrow began to rise.  “I am Viktor. A family member from across the mountains helping my cousin Jaem with his trade. You see we are a family of masons, as you know, lord.” The man stared at Viktor and spat “I did not address you, boy! But seeing as you’ve already brought it up, this trade is exactly why we are here. You see we’ve taken notice that your,” he turned his attention to Jaem, “business has caused quite a stir in the assessor’s office of the empire. We’ve taken note of your output versus what we’ve received in taxes and have declared that in addition to the yearly percent tax increase, we will also be assessing your business and home as two separate entities.” Jaem’s mouth fell open. “As a result” the man made a note on his clipboard and ripped a page off, handing it to Jaem, “your first bill is due immediately.”  Jaem carefully took the page from the man’s hand and brought it to his face. Slowly, Jaem read the note, then read it again.  “You...you can’t!” Jaem sputtered “This is half our income! We’ll never be able to pay this! What about feeding ourselves? What about, about...what if I need to fix the roof or, Milde’s pen!” Jaem couldn’t find the words to express his dismay.  “You can and you will.” Donlin said “The empire has assessed the value of your business and home and has determined your tax bracket. Have a good day.” Without another word, the man spun on his heels and made to leave the home. Jaem, Lina, and Viktor all stood watching, dumbfounded. Viktor peered at Jaem and could see his face flushing, sweat starting to bead on his forehead. Fists began to form and the paper began to crumple in his hands, knuckles going white.  “You can’t do this…” Jaem whispered “you cannot!” Without regard for the consequences Jaem leapt from where he stood towards the short balding man. “YOU CAN’T PLEASE!” As Jaem leapt he was intercepted by one of the armored guards who subdued Jaem. The man stopped mid tracks and slowly turned to face him. His blank face darkened and an evil smile flashed on his face.  “Bind him, take him, and seize his property. This land belongs to the Empire now.” the man said and without a second thought the guard holding Jaem pulled iron cuffs from his belt and fastened them to Jaem’s wrists. Two of the other four guards grabbed the wrist of Lina and Viktor and the whole group were forced toward the doorway of the house.  “You are now trespassers on Empire property. Punishment equivalent to a year in prison.” one of the guards intoned.  “PLEASE! Please! What must we do?” Lina pled as she was dragged out of the home. “Please don’t do this! You’re hurting me!” The guard’s grip on her wrist was as tight as a rodent trap.  Hearing his wife’s pain, Jaem managed to free one of his arms before it was shackled and made way to try to help his wife, but in the process one of the other unencumbered guards swung a mighty fist, connecting with Jaem’s jaw sending him into a stupor. Lina gasped and threw her free hand to her face.  “Stop this!” screamed Viktor as the three of them were forcibly extracted from the threshold of the home. “This is madness!” His cries also fell on deaf ears. Once outside, the unencumbered guard took Jaem’s other arm and together with the guard already holding him proceeded to drag Jaem’s limp body through the dirt towards the village square. Passing Milde, she bayed in frustration at the commotion, but continued to do nothing to help the matter.  Passing by homes and businesses, Viktor noticed townsfolk vacating streets, rushing inside to escape the show that was taking place outside in order to watch from a safe distance. Just ahead, lay a wagon with two horses tied to the front as well as what looked like a pen of sorts latched on to the back of that. Was this planned? thought Viktor. As the group made their way to the wagon train, Jaem seemed to begin coming to and shook his head a little.  The group stopped in the town square and as they did the guards dropped Jaem to the ground. The sun beat heavily overhead and one of the guards drew a box from the wagon and placed it at Donlin’s feet. He stepped onto the box.  “Let this be a lesson to all of you.” The man raised his voice as if speaking to an audience. Viktor looked around and noticed faces in all of the buildings facing the square. Slowly, people began creeping from around buildings, opening windowed shutters, and cracking open doors. “If you do not pay your due tax, or, better yet, if you refuse to pay the tax that has been assessed by the Empire, you will be held in contempt and will be jailed for an indefinite period.” The man motioned with a beringed hand toward Jaem who was making considerable effort to stand. “Your land will be seized and will be claimed as territory of the Empire. Do not be like this man and you will be left alone, but if you do, you will face strict consequences.”  Pushing himself to his knees, Jaem took a full breath and pleaded once more, “please…”  With that the guard closest to Jaem lifted a booted foot and kicked Jaem as hard as he could square in the face creating a heavy crunch while one of the other guards kicked him square in the stomach. All of the wind left Jaem’s body and he crumpled to the ground. Lina broke free of her guard’s grip and rushed to the lifeless body of her husband, but as her hands touched his body another boot came rushing to her stomach and she too crumpled to the ground, moaning and clutching her stomach.  At that moment, something snapped within Viktor and he pulled free of his guard’s grip. Sensing a boot, or rather, a fist, Viktor turned just in time to watch a gauntleted hand swing right past his left ear. The guard did not anticipate a miss and fell forward crashing into the Donlin standing on this podium and the two crashed to the ground. Viktor stood there, watching the four guards and  balding man, his fists clenched and knuckles white. Suddenly the bright noontime sky began to darken as illusive clouds began to form. A cool breeze swept through the square, kicking up dust and debris.  Standing up from the ground, Donlin dusted off his silks, looked at the sky and suddenly looked at Viktor with an evil sneer. “Think you’re funny, boy?” he spat, “Now you’ve really done it. Assaulted an officer of the Empire I’d say. Your life is over.” he made a point to punctuate each of those last four words. “Take them away and lash the boy to the back of the wagons. He can walk back.”  The guard that had toppled into the balding man stood up and made his way over to Viktor while two of the other guards set their sights on Jaem and Lina. Looking over at the two lying on the ground Viktor yelled at the top of his lungs, “LEAVE THEM ALONE!” As the words left his mouth Viktor’s fist connected with the chest of the guard who was in mid motion to detain him. With a mighty CRACK a wave of electricity exuded from his body in all directions sending the four guards and Donlin flying back a good twenty feet from where they once stood. In addition, the wagons, horses, and jail trailer toppled over one another. Dust hung in the air and all was silent except for Viktor’s panting. Viktor lifted his head then down at his hands. What in the world have I done? Gathering his footing, Viktor stood all the way up and as the dust settled looked around him. Viktor could see the guards and balding man lying motionless on the ground ahead. All around him he could see village folk peering from their windows, some with looks of horror, some with shock. You could say the feelings were mixed by what they had just witnessed. Finally his eyes lay on Jaem’s lifeless body and Lina, there next to him clinging to life.  Rushing over to the pair, Viktor knelt down listening for breath from Jaem and checking for a pulse on Lina. Upon placing his fingers under Lina’s jaw the woman flinched, if ever so slightly, and her pulse was strong. Good sign. Then Viktor turned his attention to Jaem, but even before touching him he could feel the absence of life in the air like a void ever deep and ever dark. With an unsteady hand, Viktor reached out to touch his cheek and could feel his already cooling skin. Staring at the body of the man who had taught him so much, cared for him when he had nowhere to go Viktor let out an almighty guttural yell. As the yell left his throat the very ground began to shake. Tears streamed down his face inundating the wells of his eyes until they finally gushed down his dirt stained cheeks. He sat down on the hard packed dirt and cradled him in his arms. One arm cradling his neck the other over his torso. Slowly the people of the town started crawling out of the safety of their ramshackle buildings, eyeing the trio with equal sorrow and inexplicable fear. Lina began stirring and lifted her head, taking in the sight of Viktor and her beloved husband. Without missing a beat, Lina called out “Oh Jaem!” and rushed over, nearly elbowing Viktor out of the way. Lina started to weep, calling out to the onlookers for help, but no one came. They just stood there in fear of the spectacle that had just taken place. Viktor edged his way back over to Lina’s side and grasped her shoulder along with Jaem’s and closed his eyes. Please don’t let it end this way, please he thought in quiet meditation. Suddenly a boom sounded somewhere in the distance and the wind began to pick up. Little by little, a warmth began to emanate through Viktor’s body into his arms, and finally culminating in his hands. As he continued his line of thought he became locked in with his surroundings, feeling every gust of wind, every breath from Lina; he could even hear so far as the labored irregular breathing coming from where Donlin lay, but only one breath, four others unaccounted for. All around Viktor he could feel vibrations as if every living soul around were beating to the same drum. Viktor slowly opened his eyes and noticed a faint glow coming from his hands. He peeled his eyes from his hands to Lina and Lina shifted her gaze from Viktor to Jaem, and back again. Then with the force of a thousand winds, air gushed into Jaem’s lungs and his eyes shot open as if she had been dunked in a tank of ice cold water. Viktor and Lina sat there staring at the man who had been presumed dead just seconds ago and like the flip of a switch, unimaginable sorrow turned to unimaginable relief and jubilation.  “Jaem!!” exclaimed Lina “oh, Jaem!” Lina’s hands rushed to Jaem’s cheeks and his eyes fell on her with a smile. “How do you feel? Are you ok?”  “What, what happened?” Jaem asked  “All that matters is that you are alright.” Lina said. As she did Viktor stood up and dusted off his clothes.  “Come, we have to get out of the street.” Viktor looked around and saw the bodies of the balding man and his guards in the distance unmoving. With a shudder, Viktor helped Lina pick up Jaem and the three of them limped off toward the home.  ### VII. As soon as the three were in the house, Viktor helped Lina lay Jaem in his bed. Then Viktor set off in a rush to pack up his room. “...just with minor differences like magic being outlawed in the Empire...If anyone practiced magic they’d be long dead or forgotten...” Jaem’s voice rang out in Viktor’s head as he packed trinkets he’d collected over the course of the year, his clothes, and other essentials into a rudimentary bag he had been given by Jaem back when they first started making their treks to the hut in the wasteland. I don’t know what it is I did, but it sure didn’t seem natural, Viktor thought. Had he performed magic? What would have been the cause of electricity emanating from his body enough to kill a grown man, let alone five with a single punch? Whatever it was, being here could only get Jaem and Lina killed, or worse.  As he was just finished packing his bag, both Lina and Jaem stood at the threshold of his room.  “What in the world are you doing?” Jaem asked, his arms were crossed and he was leaning on the doorframe to help support his weight.  “I can’t stay here. I don’t know what I did out there, but whatever it was...you said magic was outlawed by the Xurian Empire and if those people find out that I killed any of their own, no less injured, you know they’ll come looking for me. They know who you are, they don’t know who I am. They may come looking and they may come here. If I’m here, you know there will be trouble.”  Tears began to fill Lina’s eyes. Jaem stared at his feet and furrowed his brow. “What you did out there...you saved my life, no, you gave me life again and I’d be remiss if I let you out there on your own. You, you can’t leave Viktor, I can protect you.”  At that Viktor gave Jaem a flat look. “If the force of the empire came looking no one could protect me, you know that.I’m not sure where I will go, but I’m sure anywhere would be safer than here. A little too late for me to be mentioning this, but when I woke that day in the middle of the wasteland, something in the back of my mind told me to follow the wind. I don’t know what and I don’t know who that came from, but I listened and the world answered.” The wind is what brought me to you in the first place and the wind I’ll follow when I leave.”  Both Lina and Jaem looked at each other and frowned. Finally Jaem limped over to Viktor and embraced him in his arms. “I don’t know about all that wind stuff, but I know something happened that I can’t explain. You’ve been a gift to the both of us,” he gestured toward Lina, “and it’ll be hard to let you go, but you do make a valid point. This place may not be the safest for Lina and I anymore either, considering that it seems the Empire has us in their sights, for whatever reason.”  The two broke their embrace and Viktor finished collecting his things.  In the main room of the house, Viktor pulled the fastenings on his bag and tied his bootstraps.  “Couldn’t you just stay for the night?” Lina pled. Viktor took his gaze from his boots to her face and smiled.  “I would if I could, but I think the sooner I leave town the better. I’m not sure how long it will take the Empire to know their people are missing, but the faster I’m on my way, the less chance of being caught in the middle of something.” Viktor stood from his chair and picked up his pack. “Now, I must go as light might still be strong for a good while yet. I will never forget what you two have done for me.” Giving each of them one last hug, Viktor turned and headed toward the door. Just as he was about to open it, he heard Jaem’s voice.  “Wait! I almost forgot, I wanted to give you this.” and he pulled something out of his pants pocket. Approaching Viktor, he pushed something into his hand. “I wasn’t sure if you’d want this, but this item has been in my family for generations and I always have it with me. No one knows where it came from or what it does exactly, but we think it is related to magic. Sometimes, seldom, but sometimes I feel some sort of tug in my mind, but just as soon as it pulls, it seems to just go away. The day I stumbled upon you I felt the pull of it for longer than I ever had before. You may have some use for it, but I have no use for it here other than being an heirloom.”  Viktor opened his hand to reveal a deep blue crystal. It was cut in some sort of unimaginable pattern that gave the impression of impossible angles and light refraction. Closing his hand and clutching it to his chest Viktor smiled. “Thank you, I will cherish this and keep it with me always.”  With that Viktor said his last goodbyes to the family that had taken care of him over the past year. “Until we meet again.” Viktor said as he turned for one last wave.  “We will meet again! We will!” Viktor heard Jaem say as he turned to face the road ahead. The wind was blowing, pushing him forward, but before Viktor surrendered to it’s will he had one last stop to make. ### VIII. Upon nearing the village square, Viktor noticed that it seemed the whole town had decided to creep out from their hiding places to survey the scene of what had taken place just a short while earlier. He noticed that some stood over the still bodies of the agents of the empire that remained where they had fallen, while others talked faintly among each other in a hurried buzz. As Viktor entered the square, the buzz fell out of existence and frightened, no, anxious eyes all turned to meet his gaze. Slowly, the crowd parted as he made his way over to the box that Donlin had used to make his terrible speech and he flipped it opening faced down. Viktor had to be sure no harm would come to Jaem and Lina and the only way to do that was to clear their names. As Jaem always said, even this far in the outskirts of the Xurian Empire, once the Dagolynian Nation, there were Empire sympathizers. He wasn’t fool enough to think that given his spectacle earlier that day there wouldn’t be some that would try to sell out Jaem and Lina to the Empire. Taking a breath he stepped atop the box and closing his eyes, he imagined his voice booming, then spoke.  “PENFELD!” Viktor’s voice actually boomed and the ground seemed to shake briefly. He waited a moment, all eyes transfixed on him.  “My name is Viktor and what you witnessed today, may it serve as a warning to all who find it in their hearts to do harm to this town and its people. The people of this town are not your enemies, Jaem and Lina and not your enemies! It is me you are after. Any agent of the empire in this town who chooses to do harm to them, I can safely tell you your fates will be met the same as your brethren that experienced it today.” He motioned over to the five bodies that lay in the dirt behind him, then continued, “For the benefit of the rest of you, I am leaving this town.” To that, he noticed some eyes turning down and some lips pursing in what looked like fear, “but mark me, any who does harm to them or this village, I. WILL. KNOW!” And with that Viktor closed his eyes and concentrated on the ground and sky. Dark clouds began to form and as he raised his arms to the sky lightning struck far behind him creating the sound of thunder in the distance. Then all was quiet. The people in the square stared at him, then someone in the crowd clapped. Then another, and another, until the whole village uproared with jubilant sounds of celebration. “Viktor, Viktor! Savior of Penfeld!” Surprise filled Viktor. He had not expected such a joyous reaction considering what had transpired earlier. Looking down for a place to step off the box, he noticed that all those around him had given him a good three feet of space. Moving to leave his box, the crowd seemed to continue their generous bubble. I guess love and fear go hand in hand today, he chuckled to himself, and as he stepped down from the box something in the mob caught his eye. Perhaps a man rushing away in escape, perhaps his imagination.  ### IX. Viktor headed off out of town with nothing but his pack, some spare food, and some miscellaneous trinkets he had collected over the year he spent in Penfeld. Stopping at the edge of town, he looked back and smiled knowing the town was relatively safe. Then closed his eyes and listened to the breeze. Grasping the crystal in his pocket, he felt the wind shift to the west and something in the back of his mind pulled him in that same direction.  West it is then, I suppose. He said to himself.  Viktor trekked for many days until he happened upon a tavern in the small town called Noravon Banks. Entering the tavern, Viktor took note that it was maybe a quarter full, if that. Making his way to the bar, he dropped his sack and took a seat next to a grizzled looking man, arm resting on the bar with his hand grasping a barely touched mug of what looked like a frothy beverage.  “You a traveler?” the man asked Viktor as he sat at the barstool next to him.  “You could say that, I’m heading west, but don’t really have a destination. Honestly just trying to go as far as I can without stopping.”  The man took a swig from his mug and gave him a bit of a side-eyed stare. “West huh? Well, I’ll tell ya, any further west and you’ll end up in Lanyston. Big city here in the southern Xurian Empire.” again the man gave Viktor that side-eyed glance, then continued on, “but that’s about the last until you hit the border. After that you’ll be in Alturian territory. They’re different than the people here, but no less...we’ll say, accommodating.” The man struggled with that last word for some reason, but Viktor glossed over it. “First city in the Alturian Nation would be Puerta Punto. Keep heading west and cross the Oro Canal and you’ll end up right smack dab in the capital of Costa Dorada.”  Viktor smiled and nodded to himself. “That may be the ideal location.” The barkeep made his way over to Viktor and, realizing he was absolutely famished, ordered what the man had cooking. “Thank you kind sir! You seem to know a lot about the world.” The man took a swig from his mug and stood up, tossing a couple coins on the bar with a nod to the barkeep.  “You could say I’m a traveller myself, or not. I’d call myself more of a man of the world.” At that the man turned to leave, but before he made it to the door Viktor called out to him.  “Hey wait, what did you say your name was again?”  The man turned to look at Viktor, “I didn’t, but you can call me Clu.”  Viktor said thank you for the last time and bid the man farewell, then turned his attention back to the meal placed before him. He scarfed down his meal, burning his tongue on the hot stew and realized just how tired he was. This would be a good place for a rest before he set out on his journey to the Alturian Nation in the morning.  ### X. As Viktor traveled across the land, word began to spread about a man that took on the Xurian Empire in protection of the weak with nothing but himself and lightning that he could call on a whim. According to tales, he had appeared out of thin air and just as soon was gone, never to be seen again. The Xurian Empire was not fooled though. How could a man appear from nowhere and disappear? He had to be somewhere. All throughout the southern Xurian Empire agents went scouring towns, posting up signs warranting his arrest for the murder of agents of the Empire and for the unlawful use of magic. Just as soon as they were posted, folks would pull them down, partially to protect the man that brought salvation from the oppressive tyrants to the north, but also in quiet defiance of those very overlords.  Viktor Janiver, savior of Penfeld and protector of the Dagolynian people. A living legend, or so, it was presumed. Those who admired him sought to find him and those who hated him sought to find just as much, if not moreso. As word of the happenings in the Penfeld Square spread, so did the fantasticality of the tale to the point where even parents began to use tales of the man to scare their children into eating their vegetables or into being good to their siblings “...and if you don’t, Viktor Janiver is going to come and take you away.” they’d say. He always got a good chuckle out of that one.  To be continued...