~Chapter Seventeen~
Mountains
When Knall awoke the only consistent thing he saw was grey. Then, as his vision began to focus the grey was flecked with black lines. Knall looked around but did not move. He realized he was looking at grey rocks very saw away, barely visible that they were separate, due to sheer numbers.
Knall pushed away from the ground and hoisted himself up slowly. He looked around, noticing the orb of light was gone and so was Derez. He slowly stood and gazed around once more, confused.
He heard shifting rocks far away and looked around wildly. Far ahead of the small platform he was on there was a small hazing mist suggesting the fact that rocks had rolled down the slop, moving tiny pebbles.
Eventually a dark figure began to come into focus in the distance. According to the shade of dark blue he realized it was Derez. He was floating only several inches above the rocks. Knall noticed, now that he was getting closer, that his boots were slightly grey, also suggesting that he had attempting walking first.
He eventually drifted over to the platform and landed next to Knall. “Ready to go?” Asked a quiet voice, obviously sore from lack of use. Knall quickly nodded and said, “What were you doing.”
“Exploring. We have more than enough land ahead of us.” Knall nodded once more and followed Derez as he floated off. Knall stopped at the edge of rocky platform, gazing after him. He turned, looking expectedly. “How do you…” Knall left it empty for him to answer.
“I’ll teach you as we move.” He said. Knall stepped off the platform, instantly engulfed knee deep in large pebbles. The land underneath was sloping upward, making it even more difficult for him to walk on.
“Fell the magical energy inside you,” he started, “There is a very simple spell that will work fine. . This triggers it but it is difficult to keep it going. You have to constantly pour magic into it.” Knall repeated the spell and felt himself rise above the rocks.
He constantly poured magic into the small invisible disk keeping him suspended. It broke and he fell back into the pebbles. Derez smiled and said, “You put too much into it. It is very difficult being able to determine exactly how much to put into it.”
Knall nodded and tried again, this time putting a slightly less amount of magic into it. He rose again and stayed there longer. He hovered, motionless above the rocks and laughed.
“Good, now tell it to go somewhere.” Knall focused on the small disc he was hovering on. It inched foreword and broke. He had lost the slightest amount of concentration and focused too much on moving.
Knall spent the rest of the day attempting to create a descent hovering disk. It almost always broke, causing him to fall back into the rocks. It became harder because, instead of knee-deep pebbles, they came to jagged rocks that pierced his feet whenever he fell.
He could now, however, support a disk and move with it easily. It was a useful trick but Knall preferred flying. “Why don’t I just fly?” He asked.
“I don’t want to be seen.” He replied. By who? Knall asked himself, not wanting to question him. Although this did spark a sense of curiosity inside him. He wondered who they might be seen by. Well, Rezlel. And he probably already knows where we are. He did send the Dark Hawks, after all. Knall thought out possibilities in his head but voiced none of them.
After a long afternoon Derez found a small rocky platform like the one they had spent the night on last time. Derez lowered his orb of light to the center and claimed he would take the first watch. Knall gratefully closed his eyes and fell asleep.
~*~*~
After a pleasant evening with Rakari Khor returned to his room. Walking down several empty hallways, he nearly reached his room when he turned the last corner. Once again standing before his door was Gerin.
Khor sighed and walked up to him. “What do you want, Gerin?” The boy turned to face him. “I was wondering. Why are you hanging out with that little freak?” Khor’s expression darkened and he reached for Melden. He let the feeling go and moved his hand past the katana.
“Why?” He asked coldly.
“She’s dangerous! Wouldn’t want our pretty little outsider harmed would we? Besides, even if she wasn’t a monster she’s still of Mourn. You don’t deserve her.” This time Khor did reach for Melden and charged towards Gerin. He threw up a yellow shield and Melden rebounded off of it.
Khor stepped back and muttered a spell. The yellow shield shattered like glass, the pieces falling away and slowly fading. Khor ran foreword again and jabbed Melden at the ignorant boy.
He threw up a shield just in time and Melded bounced off of it. Khor turned entirely around while muttering a spell. When he came back down with Melden he was completely open.
The boy stepped to the side quickly and retrieved a long, spiked chain from within his pocket. Khor backed up and observed his opponent. He was twirling it around in the narrow hallway.
Khor ran towards him again, and he threw the chain at him while holding the other end. Khor easily sidestepped it and continued his charge. Gerin tugged it towards Khor and it whipped back.
Khor jumped and pushed off the wall, flying towards Gerin. Gerin threw some more slack into the air in between the two and Khor used Melden to tangle them. The chains were gathered around Melden tightly and Khor landed behind Gerin.
The boy turned around and yanked his chain. Melden nearly flew from his hand but he kept a tight grip. Khor pulled back and part of the chain flew from Gerin’s hands. He quickly grasped another part and pulled again.
Khor jumped stepped foreword as he did, causing the chain to fly towards his face. Gerin cried out and ducked to avoid the spiked chain. The chain flew over him as Khor ran foreword.
He was about to pull Melden up and slice Gerin’s neck but stopped and rested the cool blade on his throat. Gerin was crouching and it looked as if he was bowing. Khor pressed the blade further into his neck, drawing blood. He went only slightly further and pulled the blade away.
Gerin stood slowly, pressing his hand against his neck. He returned Melden to its scabbard as Gerin ran away down the hall.
Khor bent over and picked up the chain. He gathered it up and entered his room. To his surprise, Vathen was not sitting on his cot. The room was empty and he dropped the chain onto the table and walked over to his closet.
After stowing Melden safely in the closet he lay down on his bed, exhausted. He flew his arms open and sighed deeply. Khor ripped off his jacket and stood, facing the room.
Then Khor came to a sudden realization. He had used magic and it was powerful enough the break Gerin’s barrier. Although his barrier was bound to be weak, he did it without thinking.
Khor racked his brain, trying to remember what he had done specificity. Nothing came to mind, he did it automatically. Khor swore under his breath but was happy none the less. He had done it; therefore it was more possible than he had first thought. He smiled and lightly touched the chain resting on the table, thinking of the fight.
Khor looked at the chain. “.” He whispered. The chain was supposed to levitate but it instead did an awkward flop and landed on the ground. Khor frowned and tried again. It shook on the ground and then remained still.
Khor reached into himself and felt his magic. There was still a strong barrier there but there was something different about it. The whole leading to his normal, more powerful magic was larger and easier to access.
Khor reached out to it and sank into it, feeling it wash over his body. He let the pure, clean feeling flow throughout his blood. Khor felt so different. Like every bad feeling he had inside of him was washed away with this amazing phenomenon.
Khor grinned confidently and opened his eyes. Now he saw everything for what it was. Everything in the room seemed stripped of the wood or metal. He saw into it, and felt it. It was like he was attached to everything in the room.
He looked at the chain lying on the floor and smiled again. Now moving it seemed not only possible but incredibly easy. Khor touched it with his mind, not even thinking the spell and it flew through the air, dancing gracefully.
Khor looked at everything else in the room and soon every object was flying, dancing, flipping or jumping. Khor laughed a pure, hearty laugh and glanced at the mirror that was flying by.
His eyes were glazed over and bright gold. They were shining as well, clear and beautiful. Khor spread out his arms and laughed again. This feeling inside him was simple joy, and nothing else.
Suddenly, everything in the room stopped and fell to the floor, creating a large deal of noise. Khor’s eyes returned to blue-green and the feeling of joy left him completely. He felt entirely exhausted and fell onto his cot that had recently landed. He closed his eyes and slept almost instantly.
.