Aeric

For the second time today, I’m running for my life.

Before, I fled from the men who tried to buy me. I don’t know who these are that chase me now. Perhaps more of the nobleman’s goons come to drag me away to the mines—perhaps not. But I dare not sit still to find out.

Impulsively, I dart into a random side street hoping to lose them.

The clouds have parted to reveal a red moon. Its light filters through the dome to cast the alleyway in a faint, grisly hue.

The footsteps grow louder; I can hear them turn in the street behind me.

They are following me!

I scream as I sense one on my heels, but to my surprise he runs past me several steps, then stops, turning with a frantic look.

Our gazes lock, and in the space of a split second I get a look at him—human with pale skin and dark hair, perhaps forty.

“Kid!” he cries, looking past me. Still running, I look over my shoulder, following his gaze to see a blinding fireball fly from the hands of another man, coming straight at me.

There isn’t time to scream. I can only stand there like a fool, and watch it grow to fill my vision.

I didn’t know I was going to die today.

I should have let them take me to the mines…

And—darkness. So sudden, it leaves me stunned.

Did I die? Was I burned alive? Somehow, I thought it would hurt more…

Then I realize I’m still standing in the dark alleyway. The fireball is nowhere. The light, the heat and even the burning scent have vanished, leaving not so much as a puff of smoke behind.

I look up, disbelieving and dizzy. My vision is fuzzy, filled with the bright afterimage of the fireball. Struggling, wincing through it, I glimpse the face of the spell caster at the opposite end of the alley, who stares in disbelief back at me.

“What did you—” he starts, but I do not hear him finish. Dizziness overtakes me. I collapse suddenly, and the world around me fades in an instant, to silence, and nothing.

I don’t know how long I am unconscious. When I wake, it’s with the sensation of movement.

My senses return slowly. It’s still dark. I smell an exotic scent, rich, spicy and sweet. I feel arms around me. My ear is pressed against a warm chest. I hear heavy breathing, and a faint sound like a heartbeat.

“Waking up, kid?”

A man’s voice, weary but not unpleasant. He looks down at me, and I recognize the man from the alley with black hair and pale skin. The fine lines around his lavender colored eyes show his age; they deepen as he smiles at me.

“Think you can stand?”

I nod solemnly. He grunts as he sets me down.

“You don’t mind if we take a little break, do you?”

Without waiting for my answer, he plops down in the street with a weary sigh to rest against a brick wall. Tipping his head back, he flashes another breathless smile and gestures for me to join him. I stay where I am. He pulls a flask from his fine black coat, tips it back and drinks. Then he offers the flask to me.

“Just water,” he assures me. “There’s a little left.”

I’m thirsty, but not stupid. I ignore his offer. He shrugs, polishes off the last of it and replaces the flask.

For a minute, neither of us speak. The man seems content to rest after carrying me for I don’t know how long, and I am leery of getting too close to him. But also, I think, not completely mistrustful…

“Where are we?” I ask at length.

“We just crossed under the Second Wall into the Commons. I couldn’t just leave you unconscious in the street, so I brought you along. I hope that’s alright.”

In spite of the uncertainty of my present situation, I breathe a sigh of relief. With this news, the nightmare that was my stint in South Iron has ended. Wherever I go from here, whatever happens to me, it can’t be worse than that place. I am thankful to this man for carrying me all this way. But I’m also confused.

“What happened back there?” I ask.

“I took care of the thief that was chasing me, if that’s what you’re asking. Don’t ask me how.”

“You killed him?”

He looks somber. “I did what I had to, to protect what I carry. I wish it was not worth a man’s life, but he would have killed me for it, so I had no other choice. Besides, I had to protect you.”

“That fight had nothing to do with me.”

“I never meant for you to be caught in our crossfire. To be honest, I didn’t even see you until it was too late. An interesting coincidence. But not as interesting as that ability of yours.”

“What ability?”

“You don’t know?”

I blink at him, not sure what I’m supposed to say.

The man studies me severely for a long minute. I am uncomfortable beneath his scrutiny, and I start to feel aware of how peculiar this moment is. With the exception of Mother Hain, this might be the first time an adult human has ever looked at me for more than a second, let alone taken the time to speak with me. I wonder what he wants.

“What’s your name, kid?” he asks at last.

“Aeric.”

“Lord Oscro Embervane,” he says, sticking out a hand. I watch it cagily, not sure whether he means to give me a handout or a blow. Lord Embervane smirks. “You’re jumpy, but you’re not feral; you haven’t been on the streets long,” he guesses, and I nod.

“I ran away from the orphanage today. A nobleman was going to adopt me,” I explain, and he sneers in understanding.

“Of course. Pay a small fee to gain a son, then work that son to death without pay for the rest of his life. A disgusting scheme. Makes me ashamed to call myself human,” he declares, then he rises abruptly. Standing beside me, I see he’s slender, and not too tall. His hands are white, and they rest easily beside the thin rapier he carries at his hip.

“Come with me, Aeric, if you have no place else to go. I can’t make you my son, but I can give you a safe place to grow up.”

At his offer, I’m choked by a strange emotion. I want to ask him why. He doesn’t know me, he has no reason to take on a charity case. But the words won’t come out. Perhaps sensing this, Lord Embervane shows another of his easy smiles beneath shrewd eyes that seem to see right through me.

“I have more than enough to share a little. You’re a good lad, I can see that plainly. Given time and space, you’ll grow into a useful young man. And I am someone who might make use of just such a young man. If you’re not opposed to getting your hands dirty with honest work, that is.”

“Not the mines?” I glare at him distrustfully.

“I may be one of the nobility, but I don’t deal in gemenite. I’m a tradesman. I finance caravans, transporting, trading goods across the continent. Sometimes, I even travel along with them,” he adds with a faint twinkle. My eyes widen slowly in comprehension of his words.

“You mean…” I gasp with unashamed wonder—

“You’ve been beyond the Great Wall?”