The Severaine

Chapter Two Vices-1

Chapter Two

VicesIt was just before noon when Daniel finally awoke. After only one dose he could already feel the subtle tingling on his lips as the leftover residue from the poison left his body. His eyes barely opened, held together with rubbish and grit. His throat was dry, and tongue numb. It was several seconds before saliva once more began to moisten his mouth, and the taste it brought was unpleasant. Every movement sent shooting pains through his temples, threatening to topple him. Yet despite this he felt better than he had the night before.

The thumping of his heart brought with it a beat matched in pain at his temples as his eyes squinted against the light in an attempt to dull the sensitivity. Moments passed until he sat fully on the edge of the bed. His hands fumbled his leather skin only to find its contents already depleted. For the first time he cast his gaze across the room, shielding his eyes with his hand as he searched for Acha or Eiji. The beds had all been stripped and the room, save for one bed and his own, vacated.

He rummaged through the satchel, still gripped tightly despite his movement, looking for something to ease the pain. Zo had been nothing if not skilled in medicine; even his mother had been in awe of her talents. But his family had seen scarcely the tip of her skill. They had never learnt of her Hectarian heritage.

Within the satchel she had provided him everything he could need, from medicine to poison, and on more than on occasion he had indulged in both. The array of items never failed to surprise him, no matter how many times he turned his gaze inside. By using a combination of chemicals, plants, and stones she had succeeded in bottling the very essence of magic. Using unusual combinations to create things such as smoke screens, sleeping powders, and even something labelled fire in a bottle.

Finding what he sought, he drank the sweet nectar, his fingers still searching, probing, as the memory of today's challenge was remembered. Before consideration changed his mind, another phial was emptied, and soon the pain receded and a calmness took root. He moved to stand, his movement leaving trails as the objects in the room readjusted to his new position. His balanced faltered, he sat again. He needed to at least make himself presentable before meeting his friends, but it would be several minutes before he could find them without receiving that knowing look.

Over the last few months they had seen him through some wretched states. Sleep deprivation, stimulants, intoxication, and that was just what they had witnessed. His mother was a recognised physician, so he had known how to hide the tell-tale signs of his more dangerous dabblings. He had been on a downward spiral, whilst still pouring himself over the books. He always administered controlled amounts, enough to appear calm, remain awake, and have clarity of focus. Then had come the night of inescapable dreams. He had taken too much, and it had cost him greatly.

Eiji was the one who had found him, and the shame of waking up to his knowing gaze haunted him still. He had not spoken of it, merely taken what remained of Daniel's supplies, but he and Acha had watched him closely since. The terror of that night had seen him pursue such means no longer, and once again Zo's gift had relieved the unpleasant side-effects from abstaining from his latest vice.

Pulling himself upright he tightened his belt another notch, not realising how many times he had done this of late and made his way to the bathroom. The cold water from the sink refreshed his senses a fraction, giving him the coordination to run a damp comb through his hair.

Pulling his staff from the satchel he fumbled to place the six collapsed segments into the specially designed section in his belt. His eyes focused better on the loops for the phials. Placing them in with little difficulty he knew he could now face them.

“Look who's up.” Eiji welcomed him with a warm smile, ignoring the passing glance Acha had cast in his direction. Even from this distance he could see what she so quietly suggested. Sitting now where Daniel had last night, Eiji raised his hand in greeting, a motion that caught the attention of a few people at the nearby tables, almost as if they feared his intentions. It was somewhat of a common reaction, although no disrespect was ever meant. The people here were apprehensive, each shouldering the burdens of their own concerns.

Elementalists held an unmistakable presence, an aura of power. The act of being near to them was akin with the energies and intensity of being amidst a relentless and unstoppable force of nature; one with the fickle temperaments associated with man. The raw and primal forces gathering around them instantly identified them. In addition, they normally possessed a feature which told tales of their primal magic, and Eiji was no exception. The shades of his blond hair set him aside from those normally found with his olive complexion. Despite his continual lack of effort, it always appeared deliberately tousled, and fell into defined natural layers, finishing just below his ears. The roots, however, remained darker, a hint of its intended shades had the power not claimed him.

“Morning,” he yawned moving to join them at the table. The tavern looked far different in the daylight. It was filled with life; the drunken cheers and songs of both travellers and residents lifted the oppression the darkened room once held.

A young lady, dressed in a leather front-fastening waistcoat over a flowing white shirt, walked towards them. Her soft ankle-length skirt swayed with the movement of her hips. She placed a plate in front of him, and he thanked her as she hurried away to continue her circuit to relieve herself of the other meals she carried. Picking up his fork he began to pick at the food, but his raging hunger soon quickened his pace until the plate was empty.

Acha and Eiji remained silent. Both too afraid to speak in case their words distracted him from his newfound appetite. It was a relief to see him eat. They couldn't remember the last time he had done so. It gave them hope, perhaps the return of his hunger was a sign that things were slowly starting to get better. Once he had finished, it was Eiji who spoke first.

“Acha was tellin' me about y' idea, sounds good.” He phrased his comment carefully. He had always been too blunt with his words. He was used to speaking his mind like his master had. Unfortunately, he also had a habit of saying the first thing that entered it, usually something that in no way helped the situation. When they first met with Zo, he had not only almost told her of her other identity, but had told horror stories of this persona as they sat around the campfire, without a thought as to what affect this would have when she did finally discover the truth. He had always spoken without care. It was something which, since her death, he had tried to address.

He was trying so hard not to say anything to upset Daniel. He had witnessed first-hand the depths of his despair and the lengths he would go to relieve it, so he bypassed the subject of Zo completely. He thought he was doing well too, but they knew, after all, he was trying just a little too hard, being a little too careful, and it was exactly this that made Daniel cringe. He was constantly trying to avoid all subjects that would make him think of her, even if it meant changing the topic of conversations entirely. As thoughtful as his intentions were, it made him angry.

“Do you know how to get there?” Acha questioned. Her gaze once more flitted across to Eiji who, with a subtle nod, confirmed he also saw the effects of whatever Daniel had once more resorted to.

Collateral had so many different portals the concern of finding just one had played on her mind since the night before, but broaching the subject then would have been of no benefit to anyone. Without knowing the street name finding the portal, and thus their journey, would be impossible; especially since sailing the ocean was now out of the question. Very few ships dared to brave the waters.

“Boa street, second exit,” he replied autonomously. Until now he had been uncertain if he had truly spoken with her of his intentions. His hand unconsciously touched his stomach as he tried to pinpoint exactly when he had fallen asleep last night. “Venrent told us.” Acha and Eiji exchanged glances. Something about that name seemed familiar. They both knew they had heard it before but neither of them could place when, or in what context.

“Venrent?” Eiji questioned, his query following through on the belief the name had some importance.

“The traitor who knew Zo's mother,” he answered, trying to conceal the raw nerve that accompanied the mention of her name. He failed. Without realising, as he spoke her name his voice lost all power as the force of the loss struck him anew.

“Ah,” Eiji stated instantly regretting having asked. He remembered now, Zo's encounter with this man had been the cause of much unrest. “Venrent, that's kinda a strange name. I bet it's got a really old history like Acha, her name's from early Z.E. Speakin' of which,” he looked towards Acha, “weren't y' tellin' me earlier about—”

“Will you stop it!” Daniel slammed his hands angrily against the table as he rose to his feet. His eyes seemed to grow a shade darker through his rage.

“Stop what?” Eiji glanced to Acha questioningly as Daniel rose in challenge.

“Changing the subject so I don't have to think about her,” Daniel snapped. Eiji nodded in surprise, thinking his attempts to spare him pain had been so seamless the gesture had gone unnoticed. He was wrong. Until now he had believed himself flawless in diverting their conversations from more troublesome topics. “I want to think about her, I want to talk about her. If we don't, she may as well not have existed at all. I do not want to forget her.” Daniel lowered his tone as he realised people within the tavern had grown silent, all turning their attention towards them.

It was clear from the atmosphere there were more than a few people nervous about a brawl involving an Elementalist. Even so, they seemed disappointed as Daniel sat back down slowly. When he spoke again it was in lowered tones, and the sounds of life and music returned to the tavern.

“I don't want to forget her,” he repeated softly. “But already I am. I can't forget. I can't lose the fragments of her I still have left. I know you're trying to help, to protect me, but this is far worse. Please just be yourself, stop walking on eggshells around me. I'm not as fragile as you may think.” Eiji gave a defeated sigh, nodding. He had thought he was doing the right thing keeping the topic at bay. It gave his friends time to come to terms with the loss without having all those little reminders. It seemed he was wrong; he didn't understand their grief as well as he had thought.

Eiji had a completely different view of death to most people. After all, the changes he would undergo when he passed would not be the same as those who saw the Elysian Fields and were reunited with their loved ones. As an Elementalist, his body and life energy would return to the elements which created him, and from this energy another would be born and build on the experience and knowledge his death had brought. It was all part of a natural cycle, one that was celebrated, not mourned.

Unfortunately for Eiji, someone he considered a wise and knowledgeable man had once told him that grief was just another form of selfishness. The dead didn't want those they loved to mourn them. They wanted them to enjoy their life, enjoy the memories of their time together. Grief was completely selfish; it was simply a reflection of how the loss had affected them. How they felt about never seeing them again, how they felt without them. But in reality, for the deceased death was simply returning to the most natural state, returning home after a long journey to the place they belonged. This was a cause to be celebrated, rejoicing in their life, their accomplishments, and the fact their paths had crossed. On hearing this explanation Eiji had felt happy for those who had moved on. They had already found comfort and would await those they loved in Elysium.