My World Now

The sight I see is like a live video in gray. As I watch the scene changes. It moves along the ground close to the wall. It moves up and I can see the bottom of a window. The sight comes back to the ground and quickly moves around looking at the area.

I see the building across the street with a small flower pot under the window sill. It gets closer then turns and I can see the window of the alchemy shop. Dirt and dust covers the window. I can see some kind of jars with herbs in them through the dusty window. "Good," I think and the vision moves on back to the side of the building and to the next window. This one is basically the same. They appear to be a good 4 feet up and 4 feet by 2 feet. "Good," I think again and the vision hurries back to the wall.

The vision runs along the wall and to the edge of the building. As I watch it shifts and moved around the corner. I get a quick glance of the surroundings. I can see across the street is the back of the library. There are books in the lower windows and near the back steps is a book drop off box.

Then I can see a small loading area in back of the alchemy shop. There are empty crates that are piled along the wall of the building. There is a stone ramp. As well as a metal railing along the side with a chain wrapped around it. I frown I'd like a better look but even if the ramp is stone those crates are simple wood and will burst into flames if Darkness gets to close. The door and door jam are also made of wood so unless he flies or jumps he will set it on fire as well.

I sigh open my eyes and take a sip of the tea that was just brought to me before I get back to the vision.

The vision gets blurry for a second before it seems to leap forward and soar towards the metal railing. As I watch the vision land and is pointing down to a pair of black scaly looking clawed feet. Once they have a good grip it moves back to the door that is now in front of it. The vision scans the room.

The floor is stone as well. I can see crates piled everywhere with what looks like herbs and powders of all kinds. Shelves on the walls have tools and grinders on then. There is a small round table in the corner. With two chairs and an unopened bottle of mead on the table. After that I see more crates and something wood on the floor. The vision focuses on the wood and it looks like the edge of a door to a root cellar or something.

I'm about to suggest an investigation when the shop door opens. A man comes out. He has short greasy looking hair that sticks out at all angles. His shirt is a lite color and his pants appear to be a medium grey. I sigh again and wish I could see in color through darkness's eyes. He has high work boots and a stained apron around his waist.

He looks right at me and starts charging as he yells something and waves his arms in front of him. The vision turns away as he gets close and flies through the air. The library is coming closer as we fly up the side and onto the roof. For a second I can see at least 5 different roofs before we settle and turn to watch the man go back into the building. The roof we are on appears to be a sea of shiny white. I can see smoke start to rise in the edges of my vision before it launches once more into the sky.

Just like all the roofs the wood used is iron wood and it doesn't burn easily. The vision flies straight at the alchemy building. Then it curves to the side. As I watch it heads around the corner and inspects the side. There is no lower windows on this side but I can see two windows on the second floor.

The vision closes in on the first window and it appears to be a stone ledge. We land on the edge and as I watch the feet move to make sure to be as far away as they can so the wood don't catch fire in wooden window frame. Looking into the window I can see the reflection of a black bird. If you can call it a bird.

The creature looks more like a reptile then a bird. With its long black scaly tail and feet. It has the shape of a bird's body but the whole thing is covered in black scales. It has a long neck that ends in a half beak with razor sharp teeth. Scales cover the primary wing bones. Then turn into jet black feathers. That's why I chose this bird for Darkness. It's the only jet black flying creature I've seen. Darkness turns his head to get past his own reflection and now I can see into the empty bedroom.

The bed is a mess and there is a dresser with a half empty bottle of mead on it. I can see an article of clothing sticking out of one of the half open drawers. There is a bedside table with a pitcher of water and a water basin. "Good," I think and the vision moves again to the next window.

Once we get past the reflection again I can see another bedroom with a nicely made bed. There is a bookshelf full of books. On the dresser I can see a mortar and pestle with a few crystals and herbs. The bedside table has a pitcher and water basin as well.

"Good," I think and with that the vision takes flight once again. It curves around the building and I can see a large man in a hat leaving the shop with a small bag in his hand. We land next to the library and the vision blurs again. When it clears its closer to the ground. It turns to the edge of the building and heads around it. Then follows the edge.

Once there we find a small hole in the stone and enter. The hole is very small but it will work for our purpose. The vision turns back to the building across the street and waits. The man comes out a couple time to take a crate from the pile of empty crates.

A guy comes by with a Rayback. After he ties the Rayback to the railing. He takes a small package out of the side bags on the Rayback. He goes inside and comes back empty handed. Then leads the Rayback away. I sit back and take a bite of my muffin as time slips by.

For about 1.5 hours I sit next to the window in the small tea shop. My eyes are closed most the time but I do finish my muffin and have a couple cups of tea. Muvar the owner of the shop come over from time to time and talks with me. I buy a few sweets as I wait. They are made of Xolima gum(sweet tree sap) a town special.

My eyes are closed when I hear a muffled gasp from outside. It's followed by the door opening. I open my eyes to see a young girl of 16 seasons walk into the shop. Her turquoise blue hair is pulled back in a twisted ponytail. Her yellow cheeks have a small pink glow of excitement. She is wearing a simple orange dress with a silver chain around her neck and a thin silver belt.

She smiles as she comes over and twirls saying, "What do you think?" I give a small chuckle and say, "Why ask for praise? I already told you when I gave it to you I thought it would suit you." She sits down across from me looking disappointed. Muvar comes over smiles at me and says, "Can I get you anything else?" I smile looking at her I say, "Another pot of tea with one more cup and four Claza berry(blueberry/cranberry flavor) scones." She smiles says, "Coming right up." As she turns I leave I look at Tatsa as she looks disappointed and I laugh saying, "Add a few more Xolima gum candies to that order." Muvar smiles and curtsies. Then heads in back to get my order ready. Tatsa suddenly looks very happy.

She has a huge smile as she talks excitedly about her training and the up coming entrance exam. I've been basically been raising her as a part time mother these last 4 seasons. She lives on her own and was barely making by before I found her. She now has clean clothes, food in her belly and a nice place to stay. Every two weeks when I come I train her and stock the pantry. She tells me about her life and I give her advice. After we eat breakfast we head back to the small house I own in this town. That's also where she is living.

She shows me how her garden is doing and I check out the fence. After I tighten a few boards I go inside and look in the pantry. I start emptying most of the perishables into my Space bag and add more rice, dried vegetables, dried fruit and salt. As well as dried and salted meat. We head into the bathroom and I replace the used soap powder and then we head into the bedroom. I open the trunk of sheets and bedding and counting how many's there are then add a few more.

After that we head outside for some training. I'd chosen this house cause next to it was a 3 acre field. After I bought both properties. It was perfect. I'd had my slaves build a fence around the whole area. I was able to make a nice training ground.

Tatsa has gotten very good with her Earth magic. Her goal is to go to the Azar Magical Academy. In less then two weeks is the Scholarship exams. A country bumpkin will never get such a special entry. What she needs is raw talent and she has that. The second thing she needed was training and I've been given her that. We stand about five feet apart. She stand before me with her arms crossed.

At the beginning of training her I told her she couldn't use her hands. The result is this. She always looks like she's full of herself now, but she's got some amazing power. The hardest place a mage can release magic is from their feet. The easiest and most common is their hands. The hands are also one of the strongest focal point. So getting so strong with her feet means she has a secret weapon in her hands.

It took 2.5 seasons for Tatsa to be able to do so but since then her growth has been amazing. It takes most people a whole life time to learn to control magic through their feet, but since I didn't let her use her hands so had no choose but to get good fast.

She is well beyond a normal human strength. We stand looking at each other for a few minutes before she attacks. A shock wave goes out around her through the ground in all directions. The earth is thrown into the air about a foot. As the small wall comes towards me she smiles as I jump into the air. From my side comes a wolf made of earth.

It comes straight towards me on all fours. Then raises up on its back legs and swipes at me with his powerful clawed hand. I grab the wrist and use it to turn myself upside down. Using my sword I drive it forward into the wolf neck. I continue my summer salt through the air as the wolf transforms into spikes that come right at me. I barely dodge in time.

I use my lightning on one foot to twist in the air. Landing on my feet I crutch low to the ground as I slide back a good four feet. I smile as I feel an attack from behind. Vines come out of the ground twisting around the five earth rabbits that have appeared. They turn to spikes reaching towards me as the vines twist around them. I smile and say, "Three more minutes you know the drill." She frowns and says, "I know! I'm getting to it. If I make you use magic in your hands I win."

With that a wall of earth starts rising around me on all sides. I watch it as the wall starts closing around me from above. I smile as vines start sprouting in the earth and it cracks and falls apart. "Come on! You can do better then that Tatsa." No sooner do I say that then. The earth falls out from under me. I find myself falling through a hole in the ground. Spikes starts coming out at me from all directions as I plunge through the darkness.

I take out my knife and slice through the spikes on the right. With that I reach out and grab one of the cut spike stoping my fall. With my other hand I slice out at the others spikes coming towards me. I kick out at the wall. Vines start wrapping around me. They blast up with me in the center. spikes drive into the vines but they are growing to fast and strong. They tear the spikes apart. When in back above the ground the vines vanish and yet again I'm standing in front of Tatsa.

I smile and say, "Check mate." She looks at me in surprise as the tree in back of her leans forward. The tree limbs wrap around her pinning her arms to her c.h.e.s.t and lifting her off the ground. I take a step towards her. As she squirms saying, "Lizeli, that's not fair." I smile, flick her forehead and say, "Always watch your own back." With that I turn my back and the tree lets her go. She makes a, "hummp, "sound. As a rock shoots at the back of my head. Without looking I catch it and say, "You still need work little one." She grumbles and I turn back to her saying, "Again!"