Cavrey’s green hills and lazy rivers washed the heat of the desert away in a matter of hours. The small country was home to a circular mountain chain called the Pearl. The white, snowcapped peaks shone out for all to see, and marked the unavoidable turning point to the world. They were moving north, and things were cooling down.

Rajhu smiled to himself as he and Will made their way down the well trod road. Grass stood defiantly against the dark earth. While put underfoot by many people, the little shoots still climbed skyward. It was the optimism of nature. Rajhu respected it, and felt something similar stirring within himself. Things had taken a turn for the worst, but he could now see the hope in all of it. That hope was centred in the city of Dwel.

‘Come on, Will… Nearly there now! Dwel we go, and we rid ourselves of this curse!’

‘Your curse, Raj. Not mine,’ Will smirked. ‘Honestly, I don’t know why you’re so set on getting rid of this magic, anyway. You saw how handy it was against those pirates!’

‘I’m not a magic kind of guy, Will. I know, all you young people like to talk about the days of Sorcerer wars and Djinn armies, but I don’t think like that. I’m a simple man. I have simple needs.’

‘Gold?’

Rajhu smirked, shaking a finger. ‘Lots of gold, my friend. Lots of gold!’

Will rolled his eyes but said nothing as he and Rajhu moved down the lane towards the white walled city of Dwel. Traffic picked up considerably as they neared. Carriages and travellers of every conceivable creed bustled about the entrance.

As he crossed through the gateway, Rajhu looked up at the massive white stone that made up the walls of Dwel. It was said that in times of war, those walls could withstand any attack. Kings had boasted that not even a sorcerer could break them down. Rajhu considered it a blessing on those kings that they had never needed to put their boasts to the test.

Moving through the crowds, Rajhu led the way deeper into the city. The sun was well into the sky, and though there was heat to the day, it was far less oppressive than the desert. It was closer to his homeland, and the temperate climate made him feel at ease.

‘Where exactly are you leading us? I mean, I don’t have all day to be wandering around…’

‘Nonsense, Will. We’re fugitives with a fortune in our bags. We don’t have anything to do but wander!’ He paused. ‘Besides, before we do anything else… I want to rid myself of this magic. I have an old friend here in Dwel. He’ll set us on the right path. Before the spring is out, I’ll be my old charming self once again!’

The city was circular in nature, with countless cross sections and winding paths cutting through the otherwise round roads. Rajhu knew the streets well, but hadn’t been to Dwel in some time. Though he wasn’t as confident as he would have liked, it wasn’t long before he recognised several landmarks.

They hurried through the streets, the crowds growing denser as they neared the castle, which towered over the city. Placed on a tall hill, the castle truly was the marvel of Dwel. As the city walls boasted impenetrable strength, the castle stood as a lone bastion against the harsh realms that surrounded it. The seat of power stood out amongst warring factions as the strength of reason. At least, that’s what Rajhu’s friends insisted on telling him.

All he saw was another monument to nothingness.

‘Here,’ Rajhu croaked, turning down another backstreet. There were no people here, and a pungent odour swelled from the dimness. Two tall housing complexes rose four stories on either side of them, blocking out most of the sun. At the end of the short street, a building cut off escape, ending in a battered wooden door. A sign was hung lazily above the door, though Rajhu couldn’t read the script, he knew what it said. This was home to Garrot Weed.

‘It says this is a magic broker, Rajhu…’

‘Garrot deals in anything he can gain from.’

‘And magic is one of those things?’

Rajhu shrugged. ‘On occasion, I have been told.’

He didn’t need to look. He could feel Will tensing behind him.

‘I’m as willing to go into shady places as you, Raj… But something feels funny. You sure you want to go through with this?’

‘Infinitely.’

Rajhu lead the way into the cramped building. The smell of incense hung heavily in the air. Squinting against the dim light, he stumbled forward.

‘…Anybody home?’ Will asked, stopping just behind him.

‘Nobody you’d like to meet, boy…’ a voice croaked out.

Rajhu peered into the depths of the room as a form trundled forward, stepping close to them, but staying well back from the light cast from the open door.

‘Raj… It’s been a while. You didn’t bring guards with you, I assume.’ The man’s voice was harsh and low. Rajhu couldn’t be sure if he’d only just woken up, or perhaps the man was a little angrier than usual. Either way, it was of little import. Rajhu wanted answers, and he would have them.

Slipping the bag from his shoulder, he let it hit the ground, kicking up dust in the process. Hastily, Rajhu undid the drawstring and removed the lamp from it’s home, then held it out.

‘Tell me what this is… Go on. Give me an answer, Garrot. Tell me exactly what I’ve done, and how to get out of it…’

Silence pressed on the room as Raj held the lamp steady. Garrot, still veiled in shadow, shifted on his feet, drawing a tattered robe tighter about his thin frame. Slowly, he took a step forward, his ragged face entering the edge of the light. Deep, fresh scars wound their way from his forehead to the lowest part of his chin. Rajhu tensed as he took in the shape of the man.

‘Time… hasn’t been good to you, my friend…’

‘The world has changed, Rajhu…’ Garrot hissed, grabbing the lamp and stepping further into the light of the day.

Will edged away from the man, giving Rajhu an uneasy glance.

‘Maybe the world has changed… but…’ he hesitated. ‘Who gave you those scars?’

Garrot had his back to Rajhu, but slowly looked over his shoulder, a smile crawling into a sneer. ‘Djinn…’

Will took a step back. ‘The Djinn did this to you?’

Garrot shook his head. ‘No, boy… Soldiers did this. Dwel has taken a harsher stance against the underworld, as of late. I’ve become a statistic of their handiwork.’ He threw the lamp back to Rajhu, who only just managed to catch it.

‘The lamp… That’s Djinn. That’s what I was trying to tell you. That there… It’s a Djinn lamp, Raj.’

‘I don’t understand…’ Rajhu whispered. ‘I didn’t wish for magic. I didn’t wish for help… Why then… Why am I cursed?’

Garrot scowled, moving back into the darkness. ‘What’s he yammering on about?’

‘Rajhu has magic. He destroyed a caravan of pirates, just outside the city. He thinks he’s been cursed or something.’ Will explained, folding his arms across his chest and leaning in the doorway.

Garrot turned suddenly. Even in the darkness, Rajhu could see the man’s eyes blazing. Was it fury, or fear that consumed the man?

‘Where exactly did you acquire that lamp, Rajhu?’

Raj shifted, stuffing the lamp back in the bag, and hoisting it onto his shoulder. ‘Doesn’t really matter… I just wanted to know if the lamp was connected…’

Garrot shook his head. ‘You meddle, Rajhu! You always meddle! Don’t you understand that there are powers beyond reason in our world?’ He walked up to Raj, his eyes wild. The man grabbed hold of his shoulders, shaking him. ‘If you took that lamp from a Djinn… If you split his magic…’ He shook his head, but released Raj, stepping back into the shadows.

‘Garrot… I need your help!’ Raj insisted.

‘Go from here! Tell no one I spoke to you! …I want no part of it, Raj! I want no part!’ he hurried away, into the depths of the building. A door closed in the distance, and silence enveloped them.