Chapters The Story of Regeneration
“Come on, hurry up! It’s soaking out here!” shouted one of teenaged cousins to the other, as they ran through the storming night in a tiny village, “We’ll be frozen by the time we get to the tavern!”
“You know I can’t run as fast as you, Dran, and the pub is just around the corner!” yelled the other, over the howling wind.
“Well then, Gekk, you should come hunting with me more often, instead of being cooped up in that library of yours!” Dran shouted back, just as they arrived at the Flaming Lizard, the village’s local tavern.
The Flaming Lizard looked like most taverns, a two story building with a bar on the main floor with rooms for guests to stay in on top. Above the door was a sign that had the words “The Flaming Lizard” with a Wyvern breathing fire on the words, and below that was “Home of the Dragon Breath Ale!”
Dran and Gekk were greeted with the usual “Hey!” and “How’s it going?” that the tavern’s usuals gave one another as they walked in. The tavern was packed as it always is at nights, the only open spaces were by a traveler in a corner, or up at the counter with one of the village’s scholars.
“Gekk! Just the scholar I wanted to see!” exclaimed a man by the gambling tables, “Old Warden won’t give me a hand, I want the know the odds of winning this game!”
“Alright, but if you win, I get a portion of the winnings!!” answered Gekk.
The man chuckled, “Fine, fine... what if I lose?”
“Well then, you made a poor investment.” replied Gekk.
The man and surrounding people all laughed, “That’s not fair! Ah, what the hell, get over here!”
“I’ll get drinks and sit by Warden.” Dran said to Gekk, and he walked off to sit next to the scholar.
About an hour later...
“So, in hindsight, I should have added the Amethyst first?” Gekk asked Warden.
“In theory, that should have transmuted the marble into basalt.” Warden replied, looking at the notes on the counter.
“I see... “ said Gekk, “Unfortunately, I’m all out of Amethyst, so I’m going to have to wait until the winter traders get here so I can buy some more. Hey, where’d Dran go?”
Warden looked around: “Ah crap... not again. Record time with the alcohol though...”
Dran was standing at the corner table, talking to the traveler: “Why you sitting here, avoiding everyone?”
The traveler replied: “I’m merely resting on my trip to the mountains. There’s no need for me to be social.”
“So you think you’re too good for us? I’ll prove that I’m as good as you!” said Dran, drawing his blade.
“I never said anything of the sort, now stay your blade, lest you get hurt.”
“Why you!” yelled Dran as he swung his sword.
The cloaked traveler caught it. His hand encased in ice.
The entire tavern was silent, then the whispering burst all at once: “A mage? That’s impossible!”, “Oh god, do you think he’s going to kill Dran?”, and “Can he be? Nah... must be the seventh son...” were just some of the snippets of conversations going on.
The traveler pushed Dran to the floor, and made his way to the staircase the lead to the guest rooms.
Then Gekk asked Warden: “Do you think he’s the seventh son of a seventh son?”
“He could be, but even then it’d be an unlikely chance... but I know he’s not.”
“How so?”
“Earlier today, while I was gathering water from the well, I saw him talking to the ancient oak. He then placed something under the rock within the roots, I tried to move it again, but it wouldn’t budge.”
“Are you saying... but I thought they were extinct...”
“Same here... turns out, the elves still live among us.”
The Story of Regeneration
The very next morning Dran barged into Gekk’s study; “You’re awake already? That’s a surprise. Come on, I want to go talk to that elf.”
“Wait, it’s already morning? Wow, I’ve spent the entire night reading my tomes on the elves...” replied Gekk.
“Why are you reading about elves when there’s an elf in town to ask?”
“Good point. Alright, just let me eat and get changed, I’ll meet you at the tavern.”
“See ya!”
Around 20 minutes later...
As Gekk walked into The Flaming Lizard he found Dran talking to Revan, the tavern’s owner. “Gekk, finally! Revan was just saying how the traveler hasn’t removed his hood since getting here.”
And Revan added: “It’s true! Of course, knowing their past, it’s not surprising at all...”
“Oh? And what would that be?” questioned Dran.
Then Gekk piped up: “I’ll tell you later... it’s.. complicated. Come on, let’s go ask him some questions.”
Revan stopped them as Dran got up, “Hold up, you want to go talk to the elf? You have realized he’s a mage, right?”
“And? The mages aren’t as bad as everyone thinks, the superstition all lies on the fact that they aren’t that common.” said Gekk.
“Well, if you two get killed, it’s not my fault.” Revan replied, letting them pass to the second floor.
They walked up to the only occupied guest room and knock, and the door opened slightly: “Yes?”
Dran started talking: “We know you’re an elf,” and the door instantly slammed shut. “Wait! We just want to ask some questions!”
The door slowly opened back up, and the elf said to them: “Very well, however I have two conditions. The first, there are some questions I will not answer,” They nodded in agreement, “and the second is that I want to know your names.”
“I’m Gekk, and he’s Dran.” The elf’s eyes sparked with what might have been hope.
“Very well, ask away.”
Gekk started questioning in rapid fire: “What happened to the elves? Where are they now? Do all elves have the ability to use magic? What happen-”
“Calm yourself, let me answer! First, the wood elves, which is my race, is the one you speak of, as we were the only ones in contact with humans; what happened was that we were invaded, and most of us wiped out. Second, we are in hiding, and I was sent to this village to find three people. Third, while it is more common for elves to wield magic than humans, it is still rare for us to do so. If you were wondering, I am Azor, High Ice Mage of the wood elves.”
Dran the asked: “Does that mean you are the strongest mage?”
Then Azor replied: “I am the strongest wood elf mage that uses only ice magic. There is also fire, wind, earth, lightning, water, darkness, light, creation and destruction, both of which are rare, and nature, which can use all the magics, but is extremely rare. Now, I have a question for you; why is the bartender on the tree branch outside the window?”
“I have no idea...” said Gekk as he opened the window, “Revan, what are you doing? Come in here!”
Revan jumped through the open window and Azor said to him: “Tell me, Revan, what is your last name?”
“I only give that to the people I trust my life with, as you very well know. It’s been a long time, Azor.”
“Perhaps too long. Well, Gekk, Dran, take this letter. As for you Revan, we should get going.”
“Where to?”
“To see an old friend.”
“The old bastard is still alive? I’m impressed.”
“Well, everyone out.”
“But wait, I have more questions!” protested Gekk.
“Just read the letter, all will be revealed.” said Azor as he and Revan left the room.
Dran asked Gekk, “Why did he have a letter for us?”
The Story of Regeneration
Back in Gekk’s study, the two confused teens opened the letter, and Gekk read aloud:
Dear Gekk and Dran,
I’m sure you two are confused by what has transpired, as you two having this letter means that my student Azor has left with Madrec’s pub keeper, Revan. I’m sorry to say there is little I can put on this letter for fear of interception, however I can say this: our world of Ignis et Glacies is about to go to war, the demons that so long ago destroyed the World Tree are about to return to finish their mission, and if this is to be allowed, all life in this world will die. You two hail from an ancient line of amazing human mages. However diminished, the magic in your family’s blood still reside, and therefore can be reawakened. I can awaken these powers and train you, if you so wish, and you can help us stop the oncoming darkness. But first, you must find part my journal hidden under the ancient yew in Madrec. Speak the words “We wish to know.” to the base of the tree and the roots will move, allowing you to remove the rock embedded within and retrieve the journal. There is an extreme caution with this though; if you retrieve the journal, you will forever be thrown into the world hidden from view. You WILL be hunted, with the only sanctuary being finding the Lucem Vitae Alliance.
I wish you luck,
Kraz Destináti
General of the Lucem Vitae Alliance
Archmage of the Wood Elves
“Well,” inquired Gekk, “what shall we do?”
“I’ve always talked about fighting for what’s right, if I were to turn my back on this matter I would become a hypocrite. Besides, I always thought it’d be cool to be a spellcaster.” said Dran.
“You have a valid point. Then we have no choice; let’s go get that journal.”
They left the study and walked outside to the towns well, and just beside it, the ancient yew. Gekk bent over and examined the roots: “Well, the rock is definitely here... well, here goes nothing!”
Letting out a sigh, Gekk spoke: “We wish to know.”
Amazingly, the roots curled around the rock moved, and the rock was pushed over revealing a small hole underneath. Gekk reached in and grasped a book, pulling it out. The cover read: “The Story of My Life, Kraz Destináti.”
“Let’s bring this back inside and read it there.” said Dran, his eyes not leaving the book.