BEYOND

Beyond: Daybreak (PART II)

By the next morning, Endre had pulled Tamashi to the mystical waterfall. He made Tamashi sit down, crossed legs with the mysterious, silent pool of water behind her.

“Okay, first, I need you to clear your mind. Absolutely leave it blank. Forget every question you have. All your doubts and fears and just concentrate on now.”

Tamashi closed her eyes and took a long deep breath, her palms rested on her knees. Smelling the fresh green grass, the sound of the leaves of the trees being brushed by the cool wind.

“Good. Now feel the energy inside you flow. Feel it running through your entire body. From your head to the tip of your fingers. Now force that energy to go to your center. The center of your stomach, the center of your heart, and the center of your brain. Feel it. Command it.”

Tamashi could feel something soft yet strong current rushing inside her. She can feel it slowly and loudly coursing through her body. But she can’t quite forcefully change their path like what Endre is telling her. Endre can see the struggle in her face but he patiently watched.

As if Tamashi’s eyes were open, she could tell that Endre was watching her. Guiding her. She took another breath and once again, calmed her mind. She let her feelings take over. She connected with her body and told the energy flowing inside her to change direction. To center in her stomach, heart, and mind. It took a while, but Endre saw her do it.

“Excellent. Next, I need you now to imagine. Imagine that energy right in front of you. That it is something you can actually see, touch, and hear. Turn your hands and imagine you are holding it right now. Imagine it in your palms. Feel it. Hear it. And when you open your eyes, see it.”

Tamashi gently nodded to him and took one more deep breath. She did as she was told. She slowly turned her wrist, both of them. And as she imagine feeling the energy and hearing it, gently bright light, a tiny ball of yellow and red was being formed in her palms. It felt warm. It sounded like a soft whistle. And when Tamashi opened her eyes, she saw it. A size of a marble. But it was there.

“I-I… I don’t believe it.” Tamashi said, in total disbelief.

Her head kept jumping from left to right, her eyes wide open, seeing the miracle she had in her hand. But after a few seconds, both light disappeared.

“Wait… what just happened?”

“Based from that, it is clear that you do have magic, right?”

“…yes.”

“But, also based from that, you haven’t made peace with any of this.”

“Huh?”

“For you to fully access your abilities, you need the truth.”

“The truth? You mean the almighty power?”

“Yes and no. Come with me.”

Endre started walking deeper into the forest. As confuse and frightened Tamashi was of Endre mysteriousness, she followed him. The two reached a cave. A creepy looking cave for Tamashi. It was absolutely dark and had an eerie wind and sound coming out of it. Tamashi’s heart rate was rising.

“W-Where are we, Endre?”

Endre didn’t answer her and marched in the cave.

“Endre!”

Tamashi rushed to his side.

The inside of the cave was as creepy as the outside appearance. The sound was getting louder and she could hear water dripping sounds. It was cold inside. And very dark. Tamashi’s mouth trembling from fear. It wasn’t as if she was afraid of the dark or anything, but only because the cave itself was indeed eerie.

Tamashi’s legs were about to give in when she saw a bit of light shine in. What was even more surprising was that it was a ball of blue fire floating at right in front of Endre. It moved with each step Endre took.

“A-Are you doing… that?” Tamashi asked.

Endre, as always, didn’t give her an answer. He just glanced at her for a second. The light gave Tamashi a sense of security, even if it was just a bit of security.

Tamashi noticed that the path they were taking was downward. And they turned several times that she might have gotten lost if it weren’t for Endre. They were walking for so long that Tamashi’s feet were starting to ache.

The further they got into the cave, the colder and stronger the wind blue. Until, little by little, Endre’s blue flame was no longer needed. A bright light burst into the cave that was blinding. Tamashi used her hands to shield her eyes. And then when she opened them, she saw the most magnificent thing she had ever seen her whole life. Paradise.

They were standing at the edge of a mountain, overseeing the vast land filled with mystery. She saw wing creatures freely flying in the skies. A gigantic waterfall where at the bottom, four legged creatures she doesn’t know were drinking water. Truly, it was magical.

“Endre… this is…”

“This is where the creatures of the magical community that was lost in time resides.”

“Why… why did you bring me here?”

“To show you the truth.”

“What truth? I get it. Okay? I accept that magic exist. What other truth do I need?”

“Look up.”

“What? Up?”

Tamashi looked to the skies and there she saw a floating palace. And right beside it was a giant blue star sparkling and shining so bright that even if the sun was still high, that star was still the brightest.

“Wh-What is that?”

“That is where you’ll find the almighty power.”

“Are you serious? As in that almighty power?!”

“Yes.”

“Then I have to get there! Maybe it can help me get back home. How can I get there? D-Do I have to get one of these magical wing creatures to give me a lift?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. No one can get up there. No living creature has ever reached that place. You can fly for eternity and still never get near it. Because no one is supposed to.”

“Then why tell me to look at it? To give me false hope?”

“There is no such thing as false hope, Tamashi. That is something you need to understand.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The almighty power is the truth. But it’s the truth that one cannot always comprehend. Just like his palace, it is something that not everyone can see but none the less, it is here. It is something that no one cannot touch but it doesn’t make it less real. The truth about the almighty power is the truth of life.”

“Okay, you are making less and less sense.”

“You have to come to accept that life is full of hope. That it is grand as it is mysterious. And that life itself is an illusion. And so is magic. For you to see pass the illusion, you must first accept it and open your mind. Think about it, the power that those before us feared and worship is something that has always been here, but why didn’t that very same power save those who suffered?”

“I… don’t know.”

“It is because we as humans need to learn to survive on our own. Because no matter how weak we may be, it doesn’t necessarily mean we are powerless. The almighty power is here is serve as a beacon of hope. That so long as there is life, the mystery of the soul can be solved. One day. The truth is that life itself is the magic. Filled with infinite possibilities. As long as you learn to be open to it.”

Tamashi looked at the star once more and then to the land where creatures of all kind, even those she never dreamed to exist lived in peace.

“Magic…” she mumbled.

She closed her eyes and placed her hand over her chest, feeling herself breath. Her mind was at peace for the first time since discovering the existence of multiple universe. Her soul was calm and flowing freely like water going down the stream with nothing to block its path. She felt connected to every little thing that was in the land. In the eyes of her mind, she could see the creatures in the skies that she could described as dragons. She saw the creatures in the land that can be explained as hybrids of different animals. And she saw the firm, mighty, and tall trees giving home to the smallest of life. She saw how simple life can be. And just like that, her soul was centered. And magic itself took a form in her mind.

“Let’s go.” Endre said and returned inside the cave.

For some reason, the walk back was shorter and not at all scary for Tamashi anymore. Maybe from the fact that she knew what was at the other side of the tunnel something… breath-taking.

By the next day, training become harder for Tamashi. After being to willfully produce a form for her magic for as long as she wanted, Endre decided to kick it up a notch for her.

“I want you to produce a flame. The same manner as the one I made in the cave.”Endre instructed.

They were at the top of the mystical waterfall that was higher than Tamashi expected. A few wrong steps and she might fall from the edge.

“Okay. Seems simple enough. How do I do that?”

“Take a stance. Keep your feet apart and take a deep breath. Pit your palms together and feel the heat forming in them. When you feel your hands burning, part them and a flame will appear.”

“Really? Why didn’t I see you do that the last time?”

“When you have reached my level, you won’t to do these basic steps. All I need to do is think about it and a flame can appear.”

“Of course…” she said with a hint of mockery under her breath.

Endre glared at her that made her shut up. She did as Endre said. She stood straight, keeping her feet apart. She took a deep breath and put her hands together, it almost seemed like she was praying with her position. For about half an hour, she kept trying to “feel the heat forming” as Endre told her but nothing is happening.

“IT WON’T WORK!” she yelled and sat on the ground.

Her knees were starting to ache and so were her shoulders.

“That’s because you are trying too hard.”

“What? Then what am I supposed to do?”

Endre sighed, feeling annoyed at how difficult it is to teach her.

“Relax.” He took the same stance as Tamashi and a deep breath. “Let the magic flow through you.” It only took about five seconds for him to part his hands. “Hear the energy flow like the water from the waterfalls.” Tamashi saw a blue flame appearing in between Endre’s hands like a small bird hatching from its shell. “And let it take form as fire.”

Endre in a blink parted his hands further and several flames appeared. They created a ring while circling Endre. Then they stocked up after one another. Tamashi can see Endre’s hands moving, controlling his flames. The flames gathered together, forming one giant ball of fire. It took different shapes. First a house, then a tree, and lastly, a phoenix that Tamashi swore heard speak. As soon as it did, it vanished.

Tamashi clapped from amazement.

“That. Was. Awesome! H-H-How long until you reached that level?”

“That doesn’t matter. Now, return to your training. I’ll held back to Mother and Father to help with chores. When I get back, I expect you to be able to make your own flames. Or else I won’t let you have lunch.”

“What?!”

Endre jumped from the edge and when Tamashi rushed to look down, he was already walking casually out of the woods, without a hint of being hurt from the fall.

“Tsk. Such a jerk. I can’t decide who’s colder, him or Hal.” She said then stood back up.

She sighed and took a stand again.

Okay okay. I can do this. I can do this. I just need to clear my mind… center my soul… deep breath… and feel the heat… feel the heat… feel it forming…

Tamashi couldn’t tell how long it took for her to actually feel a slight heat from her palms. But she was feeling it. And with each breath she took, she could feel t getting hotter and hotter. She could hear the flame lighting up. When her hands were starting to burn, she parted her hands at the same time she opened her eyes.

Her eyes went wide open and a giant smile formed in her lips. There was a ball of fire I hand. It had multiple colors. A mixture of bright red, purple and pink dancing inside. It was beautiful.

“I did it!” she cheered.

The fire felt like a little heartbeat. It felt alive. A small life in her hands.

Tamashi thought what she could with the fire. She slowly placed her right hand over her left and she was impressed with herself when she saw the fire following the same path as her hand. She turned her right hand, clockwise and the fire was extending with it. Her hands were back in the original position and the fire was like a soft ball.

She turned her hands with the left hand on top. She repeated turning her hands twice. Then she opened her arms and the fire turned into a rope like form. She grabbed hold of the fire and it felt solid. She pulled it to test if it was truly solid and it was.

“This is cool.” She said smiling. “Hmm… what if?”

Alright… a form… picture a form…

With those thoughts, as she imagined it, the fire changed again. It grew longer and harder. It was now a long burning stick.

“Awesome!”

She twirled it around and it was not blowing out or changing substance. It didn’t burn her hands well. She tried doing those spins like the ones saw on shows before. It was hard but she managed to do them, only slowly.

“I see you have a handle on it now.”

Tamashi turned around and saw Endre walking towards her.

“Endre! Look! I did it!”

“Good. Now let’s see how much it can withstand.”

“What?”

Endre made a fist with his right hand and on cue, a similar long stick formed in his hand. He spun it around from his front, to his back and above his head. It move so fast that Tamashi was left in awe. He sliced the air and the end of the fire stick was pointed at Tamashi with his legs slightly bent and far apart.

“Show me what you got.”

Tamashi didn’t have time to react before Endre charged to her. He swung his weapon over to her head. Barely missing her, Tamashi was able to dodge it. She let her body roll on the ground to the left and quickly stand up.

“Endre! Chill!” she cried but he didn’t listen.

He swung his burning weapon again but this time Tamashi used her own flaming stick to stop his attack. Endre was strong, he was pushing Tamashi backward. She broke their contact and dove to the left again, switching their original positions.

“Too much too fast Endre!”

Endre didn’t care if Tamashi was starting to sweat. He continued to attack using both ends of his stick. Left, right, left, right while Tamashi was only blocking him with the middle part of her weapon. It was the only thing she could do. She wasn’t accustomed to using this type of weapon. The last armament she actually knew what to use was a bow and arrow.

Bow and arrow… she thought.

Then a small grin formed in her lips that confused Endre a bit.

With all the strength she could muster, Tamashi pushed Endre as far back as possible.

Endre tumbled a bit and Tamashi used this small opportunity. She took a deep breath and placed her stick right in front of her. She closed her eyes and let her mind run free. Endre saw as her right hand let go of the stick and twist her left wrist vertically. The fire was starting to bend. Her right pulled a tiny piece of fire and her flame was changing form.

The flame turned in to a bow where slowly an arrow was appearing. Tamashi pulled her right further and further. It touched her lip and as soon as she opened eyes, she released the arrow and it went straight to Endre. But right before it hit him, his flame vanished and an invisible wall appeared in front of him, shielding him.

“Well done.” Endre said and the wall was gone.

Tamashi took a very deep breath as her fiery weapon also disappeared.

“That’s good progress.” He said.

“Are you kidding me?! You had me at my wits! I could have seriously taken a huge damage?! Don’t you know the meaning of restraint?!” Tamashi had to catch her breath after saying all that but Endre’s answer was quite simple.

“No.”

Endre walked passed by her and Tamashi gave up. There was no penetrating that guy’s thick skin. She just silently followed him back to the house where lunch was waiting.

The two had no training in the afternoon since Endre was sent to the town to pick up some things. Tamashi used this chance to do some reading in her Guide to the Mysterious.

                                                                           ---- 0 ----

                                                                      LESSON SEVEN

                                                                     Protective Bubble

A protective bubble is a see through shield that is wrapped around your whole body. It is the most basic defense a magical being can perform. This can be done either standing up or sitting down. There are five steps:

1. Hold your four fingers together and level it to your chest.

2. Take a deep breath.

3. See your energy escaping from your entire body into a ring around you.

4. See that ring expanding, creating a perfect bubble.

5. Let that bubble solidify.

                                                                          ---- 0 ----

“Seems simple.”

Tamashi sat on the floor of her room and crossed her legs. She followed the book’s instructions and clasps her fingers, excluding her thumbs. Then level them to her chest. She sat straight and took a deep breath. In in her nose and out her mouth. She let her mind calm down first as well as her spirit. She was slowly getting the hang of feeling her energy flow inside her.

As if she was in a state trance, she felt centered and heard nothing around her. She took another breath. And in her eyes, she saw her energy being release like water droplets from her entire body. It became a flat line, circling around her. The line started to expand and expand until it turned into a crystal ball with her floating at the very center.

“Woah…”

Tamashi stood up but her feet didn’t even touch the bottom part of the ball. Like the book said, it was transparent. She touched it with the tip of her fingers and it was smooth and solid.

“I wonder if nothing can break through here?” she thought out loud.

Her training continued every morning after breakfast and sometimes after lunch when Endre was free.

After mastering fire and getting a few combat lessons from Endre, they moved on to moving objects in their mind. Endre made Tamashi move rocks. Starting from pebbles to boulders. It was really taking a toll on Tamashi. He first made her actually carry them before trying to lift them with her mind. This went on for days. And every time they returned to the house, the old couple would looked at Tamashi confusingly.

When Tamashi gets to bed, she would relax for a few minutes feeling her sore body before practicing herself with her book as mentor. Sometimes she thinks the book is a better teacher.

Learning this lesson was harder than making fire. It was exhausting to both body and mind.

“Again.” Endre said.

“Give me a break Endre. I’ve been at this for three days now!” Tamashi dropped her body on the ground while taking long deep breaths.

“And you are nowhere near to learning it.”

“It’s not as simple as it looks!”

“Really?”

The giant boulder behind Endre was suddenly floating and was placed on top of another giant boulder, making it look like a primitive tower. Tamashi was sure it was his doing making her feel even more furious of him.

“I’ve told you countless of times, picture it in your mind. See them moving. Feel them through the tip of your fingertips. Feel their souls. They are alive Tamashi. Like everything else around us.”

Tamashi glared at Endre before standing up once more. She held out her hand and turned it towards the smaller version of the boulder. She did as Endre said but it didn’t move even one bit. And by sun down, still no progress.

The two returned to the house and Tamashi barely had the appetite which surprised the old married couple. When she went straight to her room, they turned to each other.

“She’s been eating less and less every night…” Tahira said, sounding very concerned.

“I have noticed. Is her wound open again?” Luay asked.

“No. It’s perfectly healed.”

“Thank you for the meal.” Endre got up and placed his dirty dished in the sink.

“Son, wait.” Luay called out and Endre faced him. “You two have been spending an awful amount of time recently, do you know what’s going on with her?”

Endre and Tamashi never once thought about revealing their activities to those two. Frankly, Endre didn’t want them to know. His adopted parents never knew of the things he could do. And he never plans to tell them. The same thing with Tamashi.

“No clue. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Endre left and the couple were even more confused.

Inside the room, Tamashi sat on the bed with her legs cross and her hands placed on her knees. Her eyes were closed while taking deep breaths.

Endre’s voice echoed in her mind.

“…picture it in your mind. See them moving. Feel them through the tip of your fingertips. Feel their souls. They are alive Tamashi. Like everything else around us.”

“….it’s the truth that one cannot always comprehend…”

“…The truth is that life itself is the magic. Filled with infinite possibilities. As long as you learn to be open to it.”

Remembering those words, Tamashi felt a load of weight being lifted from her shoulders. She opened her eyes but was astonished to see herself floating. Levitating, in other words.

“What the--?”

“Tamashi?”

Tamashi turned her head to the door and just before it opened, she fell on the bed. Tahira heard a thud and quickly looked inside only to find Tamashi reading a book.

“Dear, what was that?” she asked worriedly.

“What was what?” Tamashi asked innocently.

Tahira looked puzzled and just sighed.

“Are you feeling alright, dear one?”

“Of course. Why?”

“You’ve been looking very tired lately, eating less, and always covered in dirt.”

“I’m fine Granny. Don’t stress too much about it.”

Tamashi smiled at her to ease her of her worries. Tahira smiled back and left it alone. She gave Tamashi a peck on the head and left her alone.

As soon as Tamashi was alone, she put down her book and held her left shoulder.

“Aww…” she massaged the part that was in most pain after landing on her side.

Then after a while, she sat with her legs crossed again and did as she before. She could feel herself levitating but not sure how, but she did managed to control the height she was raised.

Still floating, she concentrated on table and imagined it being lifted in the air. When nothing happened, she extended her right hand and tried to feel it from the tip of her fingers. Just like what Endre said before.

Her hand was beginning to tremble from exhaustion but she saw it. It was only for a second but she saw it move. This made her happy. She concentrated some more, not letting herself lose heart. After a few minutes, the table was floating. It wasn’t so high but it was off the ground.

I did it! I really did it! She cheered in her mind.

She gently and as quietly, put the table down and then let herself down. With that accomplishment, she knew she could get a good night sleep. The best sleep she had after three days of being tired and frustrated of her progress.

The next morning, Tamashi was feeling more confident in her abilities. She wore a smile on her that was unusual for Endre. He had his arms crossed and wore a boredom expression on his face while watching Tamashi take her stance.

Tamashi took a deep breath before raising her arm and facing her palm towards her rock. Like the night before, she focused and pictured in her mind the object moving. It took a couple of seconds before she was able to slightly lift the rock. She wasn’t used to its weight so it only rose a feet and she was only able to move it an inch further to the left from where it was.

The rock fell after half a minute and Tamashi’s hands were already meeting her knees as she took deep breaths then brushing her sweat away.

“Glad to see some progress at last.” Endre said coldly.

Tamashi glared at him, her irritation for him rose after hearing his bored compliment.

Can’t he sound even just a tiny bit thrilled that I was able to lift the stupid rock?! She vent in her mind.

Taking one last breath before resuming her training, she stood straight up and wore a more determined expression. Back in her position, she increased her level of concentration. Her hand shook each time she lifted the rock and tried to move it. And after two hours of training, Tamashi’s record went up by a feet and seven and a half inches.

“You can take a half hour break before resuming training. I’ll be back after lunch. And as always, I expect progress.” Endre said and left her alone, again.

Tamashi stuck her tongue once Endre’s back was facing her.

“Grr! He is so not cute. He may be tall and slightly buff be he ain’t cute! Not even the slightest. I can’t even imagine how Granny Tahira and Granpa Luay can stand him.” She ranted to the air and water which was her regular audience.

Thirties minutes passed and Tamashi stood up once more. Feeling a little bit calmer now that Endre wasn’t around, she tried again. Unfortunately, like before, it only rose about two feet and only moved almost eight inches to the left.

“Ugh! Why won’t you go higher?!”

She let her body fall down to the ground and she stared at the sky. She watched as the birds flew by and the clouds aimlessly float around.

If only these rocks are as light as those clouds… like cotton candy… she thought.

Then an idea popped in her mind. She sat up and crossed her legs. Taking a deep breath, she meditated until she was already levitating. Then, she opened her eyes and stared blankly at the rock. Her attention was solely to the rock. She filled her thoughts with only one thing… clouds…

Slowly, the rock rose higher and higher. Until it was already above the two boulders that Endre stock up. The rock took its place at the top. And then, it with the two boulders rose up.

Tamashi’s face was blank. There was no change. It was as if she wasn’t even thinking. She was perfectly still. While as the rocks laid on the ground and the boulders were dancing. They circled the nearest tree at a fast pace and then they gathered in front of Tamashi. Afterwards they sat on top of the other until they become a stone house, big enough to fit two people inside.

It was only then that Tamashi floated down and her lips curved up.

“Ha. I knew I worked better without Endre’s constant judgmental stares.” She said to herself.

Tamashi didn’t wait for Endre to return. She went back to the house and as soon as she stepped inside, Endre looked at her. She was wearing a proud expression while taking her seat in front of the table.

“Tamashi, I thought you weren’t joining us for lunch.” Tahira said, surprised to see her.

“I wasn’t. But I was able to finish what I was doing. Despite the popular belief.” She said with delight.

Endre didn’t even flinch and only continued eating silently. Tamashi was a tad bothered by this so her smirk disappeared. The couple stared at them peculiarly. Without knowing why, they felt tension between the two youngsters heighten.

The following days, Endre continued to train Tamashi to move objects. And little by little he was leveling up the difficulty. By height, weight, quantity, time and distance. Although, despite the complexity of Endre’s teachings, Tamashi pursued her own training. She carried on with learning new spells and techniques from her book. May it be sleeping spells or transformation techniques, she preserved. And with each new topic, she began to ask more questions.

In the midst of training, she raised a query to Endre.

“Endre, what we are doing is magic, right?” she asked while using the axe to chop wood with her mind.

“Yes.” Endre answered quickly as he tied a rope on the chopped up wood, grouping them into six.

“Then why don’t we ever cast spells? In the history book, it said that the battle between magic and non-magic humans was composed of spells and weaponry. It said that magical beings used different kinds of spells to fight the weapons. So how come?”

“We do cast spells. But not every spell requires an incantation. The most basic only require a command to the energy inside us. Such as moving objects or producing fire. The more advance the spell is, the more commands needed. Thus, we chant spells. However, there is an exemption. If your magic is powerful enough, then you would never have a need to say a single word. One thought and magic is produced.”

“Are you one of those exemptions?”

“No. I may be more powerful compared to others, but I am not that powerful. There are still spells that requires me to chant. But really need to cast those kinds of spell.”

“Ohh… but have you met someone who is that powerful?”

Endre went silent for several seconds that pique Tamashi’s interest. She waited for his answer eagerly.

“Well?” she asked again, even more curious of his answer.

“Just one.”

“Who is it?!”

“Just… someone I knew a long time ago…”

“Hmm…”

With Endre’s shorter answers and longer pauses, Tamashi knew by now that it is a sign that he’s rather not talk about it. So she just dropped the topic. Still, the thought of a single person that is that powerful lingered in her thoughts.

I wonder who that person be…?

A week passed and Tamashi’s abilities greatly improved that even Endre was quietly impressed. At the same time terrified of her unknown capabilities. However, he did see this coming. He did thought that this could be a possibility considering it is proven that she could travel into different worlds with her own magic. And in his world, being able to do that means that she possessed great magic.

One morning, Endre arrived early in the morning in front of his house and found Tamashi doing some wood work. From the looks of it, she was carving a bow.

“Why are making a bow when you have your magic?”

Tamashi was surprised for a second, but composed herself quickly. She smiled while remembering her time in Luca’s house.

“I guess I like shooting actual arrows with actual bows. But I must have lost my bow when I was falling from the tower before arriving here… so, I’m making a new one. A friend taught me how.”

The gentle smile on Tamashi’s face was new to Endre. That was the first time he saw it. She’s usually frowning or wearing a confused look when they’re together.

“You know, they sell actual bows made from sturdier wood or metal at the town.” He said.

“Really?” for a moment Tamashi was actually excited but then reality check came to her. “That’s great and all, but… I don’t have any money. And I really don’t want to ask for some from Granny and Granpa. They’re already letting me stay here for free. They even feed me.”

“Then why don’t you get a job in town?”

“A job? Like what?”

Endre and Tamashi head to town the next day, just the two of them. Endre brought her to a*****e called “The Unusual”. Tamashi entered the shop feeling reluctant and puzzled.

“Uhh… Endre? What is this place?”

Tamashi took a good look around. The place was definitely shady. It was dim and hanging on the ceiling were heads of “unusual creatures” and horns, some even wings. Hammered on the walls were hooks that hang different kinds of weapons made up from unique items. And placed on shelves were strange looking items. Seeing the whole place, she was sure she had seen a similar room somewhere. She just can’t remember where.

Endre didn’t answer her and went straight to the counter. He rang the bell and after a few moments of waiting, a tall, and what Tamashi could only describe as a hunk, with a long brown hair tied up in a high pony, wearing an eye patch on his left black eye, and had a black polo shirt on came up.

“Endre!” he greeted with his very masculine voice. “What brings you here today? I wasn’t expecting you for another four days.”

“I actually have a favor to ask you Butch.”

Tamashi quietly watched the two converse and Butch glancing at her every now and then with his one good eye.

“Anything for you my man!”

“I need paper works for her.” Endre gestured at me and Butch took another look at me, from head to toe.

“Are you sure?”

“She look as fragile as pudding, but she can do a thing or two.”

Even if Tamashi had no clue as to what they were talking about, she is still certain that they were insulting her. And that pissed her off.

“Okay. If ya say so. Give me a second.”

Butch went to the back room and the two waited in complete silence. Tamashi kept glaring at Endre from the back but even though he could feel it, he wasn’t bothered one bit. He shrugged it off and remained still.

A few more moments, Butch returned with a scroll in his hand. He handed this to Endre. Endre pulled the ribbon and opened the scroll. His eyes went through every word. Tamashi took a peak but whatever was written there was written in Schehe. Sadly for Tamashi, she could only read Schehe when she has her dictionary with her.

When Endre was finished reading it, Butch handed him another scroll but this one had no ribbon attached to it.

“This is perfect for her. Although I recommend you still provide her with assistance.” Butch said and looked at Tamashi with pity. Her tolerance for the two was gradually decreasing with each passing minute.

“I plan to. Thanks Butch.”

Endre put both scrolls in his satchel then he exited the store with Tamashi right behind her. While going through the town and back to the stables, Tamashi was still glaring at Endre. Hoping the silent treatment would eventually get to him. But it didn’t.

Finally Tamashi had enough. After the two mounted on the horse with Endre taking the reins, Tamashi spoke.

“Just tell me what is going on!”

“I got you a job.”

“Huh? What job? I didn’t even speak to anyone about any job.”

“Ever heard of a mercenary?”

“… you can’t be serious?”

“Don’t worry. I don’t take dirty work. Just simple pickup and delivery jobs. Sometimes from abandoned places or very far areas, but the money is good. Two jobs or three would be enough for you to buy a high class bow. Do as I say and pick up the pace and everything would go off without a hitch.”

“Again, you can’t be serious? Granny and Granpa are expecting as to be back by sundown! How can we finish a job by then?!”

“Magic Tamashi. Magic.”

Endre mushed the horse and it went straight to running out of the town. Tamashi had to abruptly grab hold of Endre’s waist to not fall off.

Endre turned the horse to right, the opposite direction to home. Tamashi’s hair was being blown back by the wind and the speed of the horse. They travelled for an hour and a half before Endre stopped the horse. It slowed down and Tamashi saw they were at another forest where the trees were a lot taller than the ones near the house. Endre stepped down and pulled the horse to a nearby lake. The horse lowered its head to take a drink.

“How far did we get?” Tamashi asked Endre while getting down from the horse carefully.

“Far enough.”

Endre opened the bag wrapped around the butt of the horse. He pulled out a water bag and filled it from the water from the lake. Then he put it back inside the bag. After that, he pulled the second scroll Butch gave him from his satchel. While he was opening it, Tamashi was looking at it from Endre’s shoulder.

“You can read that?” she said, seeing it was also written in Schehe.

“Obviously.”

Tamashi scorn at him while he finished reading the document. Which turned out to be the letter of request for their service. In other words, the details of their job.

Endre pulled out another scroll while kneeling down on the ground and Tamashi was awe struck to see that it was a map. It was the first map she saw of this world. It looked so different from all the other worlds she saw. One thing she learned from jumping from one place to another is that every map was different. The water does move differently because every continent from every world had a different shape and size. It moved from different locations because of the ocean.

Another paper was on top of the world map and when Endre pulled it open, Tamashi saw that it was a mad of the island they were on. It had the names and all.

Endre glanced at the letter of request then at the map before standing up. He turned his back from the papers and Tamashi, facing the open space. Tamashi looked at him, confused as to what he was doing.

She heard a clap when Endre put his hand together. Endre’s eyes were closed as he twist his hands to opposite positions, vertically.

“Kkakele ritsz va” hearing alien words, Tamashi’s eyes widen and she blinked twice.

Then Endre’s hands parted, turning them again. His left palm facing the ground and his right, the sky. Slowly, each of his fingers were put in the gaps of the other hand. When they were all in place, a white light appeared in front of Endre. It was a vertical line that was sparkling and then, as if it was a door, it parted. Opening.

Passed the line was another place. It was darker and cold air blew from it. But it was clearly another forest.

“I-Is that… a portal?” Tamashi asked, amazed at the magic she was seeing.

Endre quickly picked up his papers and put them back in his satchel. He jumped on the horse and grabbed the Tamashi by the arm, pulling her up.

“Don’t let go.” He said to her, guiding her hands to tightly wrap around his waist.

Mushing the horse, they walked passed the portal and as soon as they crossed, the path was sealed. Leaving no trace behind.

“You said you can’t open portals.” Tamashi said, looking back to where they passed through then facing Endre.

“I never said that.”

He made his horse run and they were off. Turning left and then right, they arrived at an abandoned temple. It was in ruins and was covered with vines.

“This entire place really gives me the creeps.” Tamashi said, getting off the horse after Endre.

“It should. This was one of the battlefields before the era of kings and queens.”

“For real?!”

Endre pulled out two daggers from the other bag on the horse and put them in the slots of both of his legs.

“I thought you said there isn’t a need for real weapons when you got magic?”

“Another thing I never said.”

“You know, you really, utterly, positively, confuse me.”

“Right back at you.”

Endre marched on and Tamashi walked right behind him. The two went to the side of the slanted temple where they found a hole. It was obviously made after getting hit by a bomb or some sort.

Endre burned the vines that shrouded the hole and it also served as their light while walking downwards inside.

Tamashi was very careful where she stepped. With each stepped she took further inside the temple, all she could think of was her friend Ray back home. And how he would kill to have an experience like this. It’ll feel real 4D for him.

They reached a four way path. Endre looked at all the options then deciding to take the right hall. Using his magic, he floated. Walking in mid-air. Tamashi saw this and like him, she used her own magic. She cleared her mind and calmed her soul before attempting to take her first step in air. Luckily, she didn’t fall down and was able to continue following Endre.

The great hall greeted them when they were at the end of the path. It was darker than the previously rooms they passed by. Endre created more flames and made a giant ring above them. At the very bottom of the room, the two saw several chests. They floated down.

“Open each trunk and look for a dark brown notebook with a crown drawn on its cover.” Endre told Tamashi and opening the first chest using his magic.

“Alright…”

Tamashi tried opening a trunk with her bare hands but was unsuccessful. So she used her magic. In the same way she used magic to move a rock, she opened the trunk then gone through everything inside the chest. She found various items. From potion bottles, to silk robes, and golden cups.

The two opened several more containers until they were done to the last one. It was buried under broken off walls and columns. They worked together to carefully getting it off and opening the chest. They looked inside together and finally found the notebook they were searching for.

“What’s inside that?” Tamashi asked, staring down at the dusty notebook in Endre’s hand.

“It didn’t say in the document. And I’m not interested in finding out.”

Endre stashed the notebook in his satchel and the two made a quick exit. They returned to the very same spot where Endre opened another portal. They rushed back to the town and to Butch’s store. When they got there, Endre traded the item with the amount of money agreed upon. And right after, they got home by sun down.

Tamashi kept the money in her room, hidden under the mattress and then they all ate dinner. When she and Endre were through, Tamashi talked to him outside.

“So that’s the kind of job you do?” she asked him.

“Mostly.”

“Don’t you find it a bit shady?”

“It doesn’t bother me. I don’t take any kind of life. It doesn’t require me to work all the time. And it pays good money. It suits me.”

Tamashi didn’t argue. But she still wasn’t sure if it’s healthy for Endre to be doing that kind of work. She’s also certain that his parents have no idea he works. However, she has no intention of ratting him out.

TO BE CONTINUED...