The first week went by uneventfully. Performing assignments at the temple, visiting the market for groceries and talking to familiar faces who all seemed worried but somehow proud of Kiur’s progress. Same as usual.

“Finally, the troubled boy was getting his act together,” was what everyone was thinking. They were all rooting for him and a few of them even came bearing gifts as a sign of support. 

Everything was going well.

With the second week, Kiur’s daily life became monotonous with nothing to do. 

Nothing Kiur couldn’t handle. 

In the third week, under the temple’s instructions, Kiur visited the grape fields they grew on the mountain hills. Then his next trip involved checking out the lower city area which was located underneath a fissure. 

It was the best-shaded part of the entire city-state and the best place to escape the sun and relax under the cool air, unlike the part with the raging river further below that stared Kiur directly in the eyes as he loomed over the abyss. 

That’s when it started. The dark thoughts resurfaced. 

“Why is it always like this? I don’t want to be the person I am right now.” 

Kiur walked away from the abyss, its shadows encroaching on him but unable to catch him. “I need to get home.” 

Playing a game of dame on his mother’s favourite cedar table, Kiur distracted his perturbed mind. It was a particularly hot day today and he couldn’t rest or sleep. His mind was in shambles as sweat rolled down his cheeks. 

Check. Check. 

The clacking of pieces didn’t help in distracting his mind. It made it worse, scattering it further. 

“Say something!” Kiur yelled at his opponent. A blurry figure took the form of pitch-black ocean water. Dark and incomprehensible. 

It was a woman. On a good day, she would stay in a corner, silently judging him but on a bad day? 

On a bad day, she would be crying disturbing Kiur’s consciousness. Her long hair would flow down her shoulders and she would cover her face with her hands as she sobbed. 

She was constantly crying out in despair and it drove Kiur mad. No matter what, he couldn’t get her out of his head. He knew her name. He knew about her identity. He knew who she was.

“Get out of my head!” Kiur finally snapped, and his magic flared uncontrollably. The force cracked the table and the wall behind her, pushing the woman down right where she was sitting. 

Panicking about his outburst, Kiur rushed up to her, holding her shoulder. “I am sorry, but I don’t know how to help you… how to help me.” 

Her sobbing was growing worse and Kiur started to cry as well. He felt heartbroken and unable to tell what to feel. 

“I am sorry for what you are going through, I don’t know what to do to make you feel better. I just don’t know.” For the first time, Kiur saw the woman turn her head at him. Suddenly she wrapped her arms around him and started crying inaudibly as if she were underwater. 

It was terrible, dragging him lower and lower, causing him to lose hope.

Character Profiles

Name: Esha Artor

Age: 80 ; Height: 124 cm ; Gender: Female ; Race: Dwarf

Magic: Earth

Esha Artor is the foster mother of Kiur and Archil Artor. She works as a scribe and travels around a lot for work and to support refugees in Kutha. Overworked by the amount of work that floods her. 

Likes: wood craftsmanship, her sons, myths about their culture

Name: Archil Artor

Age: 28 ; Height: 192cm ; Gender: Male ; Race Therianthrope

Magic: Wind

Archil Artor is the older brother of Kiur. He was adopted by Esha at the age of 11 when he and his family fled the south by ship. He currently works as a scout for Idaris and supports his brother a lot. Refuses to get married after a messy breakup. 

Likes: racing, fresh bread, his foster mother and brother, going on a voyage