The Keys to Ascension

by Dilland Doe

  Theto scrunched up his face. “But they own it in common.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s the official line. But all the wheat just goes to the government instead of to the nobles. Which in theory is ‘The People’.”

  “Oh, so the government gives them back some money?”

  Hibb shook his head no.

  “Okay, then the workers have some sort of special rights to use government horses, and play on nice game fields, or take fine clothes and jewelry for the women.”

  “No, Theto. We shouldn’t talk ab—”

  Jerking his head forward, Theto said, “That’s bullpucky! These people don’t seem any better off than in Hyzantria. What’s the point to this weird system? The workers not keeping the profit defeats the purpose!” He shook his head. “And on top of all that they defy The Divinity; they should scream in pain!”

  A man’s voice boomed a tone from behind them. They both snapped their heads back.

  “Darn it,” Hibb said, “They were listening!” He jerked on his reins. “Heaa! Heaa!”

  Theto did the same. The horses raced forward. Oh no. How will we lose them? He stared at the butt of Hibb’s mount as he urged his own to keep up. Hibb’s horse veered right and leapt over a small wooden fence into a field. Theto copied the move.

  Hibb and his horse suddenly appeared as stalks of wheat among the other wheat around them. Illusionary grains appeared right in front of Theto. He glanced around himself; he looked like wheat too. Both of them got off their horses and waited.

  Workers stood around them, staring.

  Uncle is an idiot! These peasants will tell on us!

  After staring for a moment, they went back to work. Seven horses raced toward them on the road. Five kept galloping by, but two stopped. Men in leather armor with crude broad swords at their hips got off. They climbed over the small fence and looked around the field.

  The peasants just kept chopping wheat and piling it in carts, ignoring the soldiers.

  One armed man walked up to a peasant. “Have you seen any men go by here?”

  “No.”

  Swiveling his head, the soldier said, “Has anyone seen anyone go by?”

  The workers kept working.

  He motioned toward the other soldier. “Back on the horses, let’s see if we can find them off road somewhere.”

  They mounted and trotted off.

  Theto stared at the flowing wheat ahead of him, then whispered, “Why did they lie for us?”

  “Well,” Hibb said not bothering to whisper, “when this whole Utopia thing started, the leaders really meant well, but it kind of went to poop after a few decades. They did a good job brainwashing the towns and some farms near the major cities. But most of the peasantry took one class as children and otherwise just do their work and take the little food the government gives them. The workers know they’re basically slaves; just like in Hyzantria.”

  Theto whispered, “But they don’t live under The Divinity’s rule. You can’t force people to work the land unless under The Authority’s regulations. It’s wrong.”

  “Yeah, in Hyzantria the priesthood educates all. Hyzantria’s actually more productive and has better land. With the priesthood, at least the peasants have hope of divine justice. Here, they just listen to what they know are lies from the Utopian government while they work their lives away.”

  Theto nodded. “Hyzantria is a just place.”

  “Then why do we flee from its justice?”

  Theto opened his mouth, but had nothing to say.

  “Well,” Hibb said, “if your father could be anointed The Sovereign, we’d make Hyzantria even better. But our overly strict laws got him killed! People can believe in The Divinity without killing wizards, darn it.”

  Hibb’s eyes moistened as he sucked in his lips while scanning the horizon. He whispered, “I can’t believe I let Themeno die. Why?”

  “Hey man, it’s not your fault.”

  Theto’s uncle stared at him with jittering eyes. Hibb leaned toward his nephew and opened his mouth like he was about to say something. Then he froze.

  Theto jerked his ahead around, looking for danger. Nothing was there, so he looked back at his uncle.

  Hibb narrowed his eyes on Theto. “I must protect you. And you must learn magic to keep yourself safe in foreign lands. C’mon. Getting out of Utopia is gonna be a lot harder now, and their justice is even more cruel than Hyzantria’s.”

  Ch. 21

  Petra made Actus look like a backwater fishing village. Behind the sprawling docks filled with boats large and small, was the city. Petra didn’t have the uniformed planned roads and grid of a Hyzantrian city, but was spread across the land haphazardly. Many large temples of different shapes and sizes, as well as towers, stood above markets and homes.

  On the dock, Finio scanned the city, holding nothing but his chinchilla’s pot and a bag of gold. The boat that dropped him off already sailed back toward Actus.

  What am I supposed to do now?

  He asked a few dock workers where the wizard market was. They pointed him toward the city and gave some vague directions. He walked through the docks and into the city, hoping to find someone to help him. He had to learn magic so he could go back to his new home: Actus.

  He heard it. High beings chatting, yelling, and laughing; lots of them. After passing by a few buildings, he saw it. Rows and rows of wooden tables under pitched canvases sprawled atop brick streets. Shopkeeps stood under the tents helping potential customers who examined and talked to the animals in different cages. Most animals were no larger than meowys, but on the ground a few ferocious beasts laid in their cages.

  Finio’s Tonguelin had gotten pretty good, but he knew he still sounded like a foreigner. He tried asking a few shop keepers and patrons if they knew where he could be trained. No one gave particularly useful answers. They told him: “A temple.” “A master.” “Not me, Hyzantrian.” The last was said with a sneer.

  He glanced around the huge market. Someone here must help.

  “Hey, kid.”

  Finio turned to see a short man with slicked-back hair leaning to his side. He waved Finio toward him. Finio approached.

  “You lookin for a mage teacher?”

  Nodding, Finio said, “Yes, sir.”

  “My boss is lookin for new trainees.” He knocked his head back. “Follow me.”

  The man turned and strode away.

  Finio stood. “Uuuuuh.”

  The man kept walking, so Finio jogged to catch up.

  Without looking back at him, the man said, “What kind of magic you do, kid?”

  “Support magic. I make others stronger. But I’d also like to learn healing.”

  “Perfect! Right down ma boss’s alley.”

  They walked between buildings. The alleys got smaller and darker. Soon, they walked alone and the chatting, animal noises, and turning of carts’ wheels died out.

  The man stopped and turned toward Finio, who twitched, ready to run.

  “Okay,” the man said smiling, “ma boss was supposed to meet me here in a few minutes. He’ll be here soon. In the meantime, let’s talk other business. It’s dangerous carrying that big sack of gold around the city. Somebody may want it who ain’t into legal means. Ya know?”

  Finio nodded.

  “So let me store it for you. You can come take any of it you want any time, ya see?”

  Finio took a step back. “Uuuuuuh.” In his left arm he held his pot, in the other he pulled his bag of gold close to his chest.

  The man stepped toward Finio. “It’d be foolish to do otherwise. People kill for that kind of gold.”

  I should have found a way to conceal this! Why didn’t the king give me more help? I’m gonna die in this city! He didn’t want to fight the guy, but he could surely outrun him. His eyes blinked as he sensed something about the man. He…he’s a mage. I can’t run or fight against a mage…

  “I don’t want to leave all my eggs in one basket,” Fino said, “so I’ll
just leave a little gold for you to store and I’ll find other safe places for the rest of it.”

  The man smiled. “Sounds like a smart plan.” He pulled out a little pouch from his shirt.

  Finio put his pot down then pulled a handful of gold coins from his sack. He twiddled his fingers, playing with the coins in his hand and watching the gold’s shifting glint. He carefully dropped the coins into the pouch.

  The man closed it, put it in his shirt, then said, “Thanks, chump.” He disappeared.

  “What!?”

  A pillar of fire appeared next to Finio. He stepped away from the heat, shielding his eyes as it continuously roared upward. Flame walls extended from the pillar, encircling Finio in an instant. He jerked his head around looking at the fire that surrounded him while sweat dripped from his pores.

  A walrus with long tusks appeared next to him. It wore the same clothes as the man, except the clothes were larger and fit the animal appropriately. “Ha haaa! Drop your sack or I’ll stab you with ma teeth!” He jerked his head forward and around a few times, swinging the tooth-like weapons that came from his mouth.

  Finio took a step back. “Never! Get out of here, you rascal!”

  “Give the gold or die.”

  Finio glanced around at the flame. Sweat from fear and the fire thickened on his skin. I don’t know what else this wizard can do. He sighed, then dropped the sack. The walrus turned back into the man, grabbed the gold, then him and the fire disappeared.

  Finio now had nothing but the clothes he wore and a pot with a chinchilla. Struggling to hold the big pot, he ran through the narrow alleys, back toward open spaces and the communicator market. He saw a guard in mail.

  “Sir! I was just robbed!” He told the guard what happened.

  The man nodded. “Yup. It’s a real problem. We’re looking for that guy, but he’s a shapeshifter, so we don’t know what he looks like. Sorry, kid.” He slapped Finio in the back before walking away.

  Finio had nothing to do but to walk back to the market and hope he found a teacher—A teacher that would teach him without pay.

  He looked into his pot. The chinchilla remained rolled up deep inside. Finio held his hand above the hole, offering a pet if it would come out. It sniffed toward him, but didn’t move. Letting loose a long sigh, Finio moped forward.

  A voice came from the chinchilla. “Yup, that’s lame. Sorry, buddy.”

  #

  Grog fogged over Finio’s mind as he blinked his eyes open. He lay in a back alley not too far from the communicator market. No one would teach him the day before, but he couldn’t give up. His heart longed for Hyzantria, his stomach groaned for food, and his tongue yearned for water.

  He looked at his pot. The chinchilla stood on top of it! He held his hand out and made little noises with his mouth. It sniffed toward his hand. He inched the hand closer to the fluffy squirrel-like creature, then touched the top of its head, stroking for half a second before it hopped to the ground, then jumped above the pot and plopped back in.

  He grabbed his pot and left the alley. Outside of it, on a small street, sat a cart filled to the brim with apples. Behind it stood a bearded man wearing a nice shirt.

  Finio approached, thinking carefully about the Tonguelin words. “Hello sir. I’m the adopted son of King Sannacles of Actus.”

  The apple vendor snorted.

  Putting a hand on his heart, Finio said, “I’m here to train in magic but have been robbed and have yet to find a teacher. May I please have an apple to sustain myself?”

  The man shook his head. “I’m not running a charity here. Especially not for some foreigner. I know a Hyzantrian when I see one.”

  Finio breathed in deep, a little taken aback. It still surprised him how the Citians viewed Hyzantria. Hyzantrians didn’t have the same dislike of Citians. “Sir, can I at least have some water?”

  “Go to the public fountain. It’s that way, just past the statue of the ancient guard.”

  Finio nodded. “I’ve seen that. The man with the big shield?”

  “Yup. Now get going. You’re scaring off my customers.”

  No I’m not.

  Walking the wide main streets, Finio turned left and right to keep him moving toward the statue. Passing it, he soon saw the beautiful white fountain. Above it, an impressive aqueduct passed overhead, dripping water into the shallow pool that three statues rose out of. The water slowly drained through a channel that went underground.

  Pep popped through his steps as he approached the fountain. He set his pot down before squatting and taking water into his hands. A small splash sounded next to him. The chinchilla had jumped in the water. It drank. Finio smiled at the cute little thing. It’s not supposed to get wet, but it looks fine. A little water can’t be so bad.

  “Hey, Kwitty, you there?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Today I will find a master, and we will become super powerful together!”

  “Stupendous!”

  Finio drank.

  “Hey!” someone yelled from behind, forcing Finio to jerk forward. Get your giant rat out of the public fountain!”

  Finio didn’t want to speak because then the person would know he was Hyzantrian. He motioned for the chinchilla to enter the pot. It ignored him. He heard the approaching steps of the person behind. Darn it. Finio lunged for the little animal. It hopped away while Finio splashed face-forward into the water.

  “Hey! Come back!”

  The chinchilla hopped again in a giant leap away from the fountain. Stepping out of the water and following, Finio said, “Please come back, Kwitty. C’mon.”

  “I can’t control this thing, man!” Kwitty said, “I don’t wanna lose my communication with you either!”

  Finio approached cautiously. “C’mon little guy. Come back to the pot.” He pointed to the pot still by the fountain.

  The chinchilla jumped on a low roof. Then again onto a higher one. “Find another communicator!” Kwitty yelled.

  The fluffy little creature, the only ally Finio had, hopped away. Finio stood, shocked. Am I just gonna live in poverty and die here? He scanned the buildings around him. I’ve gotta keep trying. He finished drinking, then took the pot and strode to the market.

  Despite being unable to talk to the high being, Fino felt like Kwitty was still with him; like Finio could still use his power. He headed straight toward the first unoccupied communicator vendor he saw.

  “Sir. I’ve been working with a high being named Kwitty, but my communicator ran away. How can I get another one for the same high being?”

  The older gentleman looked Finio up and down. “Wo hoooo, sonny. You look pretty ragged. The ritual is hard, especially for a specific high being. And the materials required are expensive. I doubt you could afford it.”

  “I just want to learn as much as I can, sir.”

  “Weeell, I’ll get an open communicator and see if you can find your high being.”

  He looked under the table, then pulled up a small cage containing a white mouse. He sat the cage on the table.

  A deep voice emenated from the mouse. “What do you think about women? I love them. I want to help you love them too. All of them.”

  Finio leaned toward the fuzzy creature. “That sounds cool, but not right now. I’m looking for Kwitty. Kwitty. You in there, Kwitty!”

  Kwitty’s voice sprang from the mouse. “I’m where I’ve always been! And that’s not in here. But yes, I can hear you! Okay, let’s go!”

  Finio glanced to the side. “Uuuuuuuh.”

  The merchant asked Kwitty a few questions. Kwitty answered. Then, frowning at Finio, the merchant said, “I know a few wizards who work with similar high beings, but they won’t do this for free. Sorry, son.”

  What am I supposed to do!?

  Kwitty spoke. “Find the chinchilla! It didn’t go far. It’s still on some roofs near the fountain.”

  “Why did I have to choose a chinchilla?”

  For the rest of the day, Finio went back and fo
rth from searching for the communicator to hanging around the markets, listening and practicing Tonguelin while asking if anyone knew Kwitty. No one helped him.

  As the sun set, his stomach growled. He remembered the fresh apples at that apple cart. He went back there.

  The bearded man talked to two women who examined a few apples. He had a big smile and spoke pleasantly. Finio casually strolled by, grabbing three apples and putting them into his empty pot. He kept walking.

  A woman’s voice yelled, “Hey! He stole some apples!”

  The Divinity!

  He ran. The steps of the apple vendor pounded after him as the man yelled, “Guards, guards! Thief!”

  Guards? Finio glanced around but didn’t see any. He had to lose that guy before guards chased after him too.

  He focused on the open power of Kwitty. Without talking to him, he didn’t know how to learn new tricks, but he could still use what he already learned as long as the power was open. While turning down an alley, he growled. His legs seemed to transform into that of a great animal. They strode underneath him faster than a profession sprinter. Finio gained distance from the merchant and turned a few more corners. Although his speed was increased, he could tell Kwitty had so much more power, but Finio just didn’t know how to access it.

  He closed his eyes, almost seeing different colors of energy flowing from Kwitty’s mysterious universe into Finio’s muscles, bones, and organs. He was in good shape, but a hard sprint like that should have tired him faster. Kwitty’s power made the run easy. Finio opened his eyes to see the side of a brick building right in front of him. He pulled up as his eyes widened before slamming into the structure and bouncing back against the ground.

  He moaned while rolling to his side, then examined the pot in his hands. No cracks. He sighed in relief before sluggishly standing. Somehow, he didn’t lose the apple-guy, who now jogged toward him before slowing to a walk, his body rising and falling with heavy breaths.

  “Kid. You’re lucky there wasn’t a guard around, but I’m taking you to one right now.”