28 – The Journey Begins

I gave the bluebells one last round of [Healing Water] before dawn. On my way down the stairs, I ran into Senior Archmage Alynur. He told me that he had left instructions for Becca and a few of the other witches with a water affinity to water them while we were away. With the strength of Becca’s [Healing Water], I had a feeling those bluebells might be the size of us by the time we got back.

After a quick breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast, we cleaned up the kitchen and gathered in the inner sanctum. Our breath fogged in the morning air. Although summer was fast approaching, some mornings still harbored the spring chill.

We all took one last look at the tower and the gardens surrounding it. Then, without ceremony, Alynur led us out the main gate, securely locking it with a password after we’d filed through.

After leaving the valley that sheltered the tower, we took off in a different direction than we had when we went to Westbrook, this time heading to the southeast. The forest began to thin, and when we crested a hill, the whole of the Earthly Realm was laid out before me.

At least, more of it than I had ever seen before.

The forest gave way to rolling plains dotted with groves of trees. One could make out the fortifications of cities scattered throughout the landscape. Behind it all loomed a range of snowy mountains that seemed to stretch all the way from the north and disappear somewhere past the horizon to the south. It was a glorious sight.

“Breathe it in, lad,” Linli said, taking a big breath himself. “This is the smell of a world just waiting to be explored.”

“Aye,” Erl said. “Though I have traveled in my day, there is still much I have not seen. I hope we can stop and admire the ruins during our trek towards this war.”

“There will be time enough for that,” Alynur said. “As you all know, there are things in this life that are just as important as killing necromancers.” The Senior Archmage bent over and picked a wild primrose growing on the side of the road. He brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply.

“There are times,” he said almost to himself, “when I accumulate the most mana simply by being present in the world.”

“Well, let’s get a move on,” Linli said. “Hillsborough is only a two-day journey, and I can’t wait to see what new blends those halflings have come up with.”

Myrl was already puffing on his pipe. I was pretty sure he had been the whole morning.

The journey that day reminded me of what I thought Ireland must look like. Rolling green hills, low stone walls, flocks of sheep grazing in wide pastures speckled with wildflowers. Every now and then, we’d come upon a stone cottage and a farmer or two would wave to us as we passed.

The end of the day brought us to a grove that sheltered a fountain for travelers. Someone long ago had built a statue of a wizard over a natural spring and channeled the water through a pitcher that he poured into a pool below.

Bagavash said that it was a statue of Urk.

“Why is this Urk guy so famous?” I asked as the others filled their canteens with the fresh spring water.

“You mean besides being one of the most powerful wizards to have ever lived?” Bagavash asked with an arched eyebrow.

“Yeah,” I said. “Besides that.”

“Well, legend says he was one of the only wizards to slip past the Earthly Realm Guardian and travel into the beyond.”

“Earthly Realm Guardian?” I repeated. I had never heard mention of this thing before.

“According to the old books, there is a demigod that watches over the Earthly Realm. Apocryphal accounts describe it as a beast with the wings of a bat and the head of a bull. It is said to guard the entrance to the world beyond, what some call the Heavenly Realm, though no one can be sure it exists. The Earthly Realm Guardian has not been seen since the time of Urk, and there are some doubts as to whether it exists at all.”

“Just theistic mumbo jumbo,” Linli said. “You can’t be distracted with thoughts of ‘what lies beyond.’ This life may be the only one you’ve got, so all that matters is living it to the fullest.”

“Cheers to that!” Myrl said, raising a tankard of foamy brew.

“Hey, where’d you get that?” Linli said.

“I filled six tankards with the last of the hop ale before we left and shoved them in my inventory. Would you care for one?”

“Would I?” Linli exclaimed, clambering over to Myrl, who produced another tankard out of thin air.

Soon, we were all sipping on one, sitting around a campfire that Erl had started with an emberstone. The sound of the fountain trickled in the background, contrasting nicely with the crackle of the flames. Fire and water, not conjured, just natural elements coexisting side-by-side in the quiet embrace of dusk.

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“Good call on the ale, Myrl,” Linli said. “From here on out, it will be tavern ale for us. You think anyone can make it as good as us?”

“I’m certain there are brewmasters far superior to us, little wizard,” Erl said. “There is much to look forward to on this journey.”

“And much to fear,” Bagavash added, a little grimly. “The closer we get to the Hinterlands, the stronger the monsters will become. We have to be prepared.”