Newblood - A fantasy novel for NaNoWriMo 2018; CHAPTER- 11: Connection

Winter, Year 21 of Koram

Pinnet and the Miller family were forced to go slow through the forest. With the beginning of winter many of the lush green trees hiding their flight from Ashvale had dwindled to just branches. The floor of the forest was so covered in fallen leaves that the paths were often obscured. At night they had find a grotto or an oldhouse oak with the hollow trunk to light the essential fire. When they finally reached the farms in the afternoon of the third day, Pinnet went ahead to scout the area and hurried back. There were soldiers camped at the mouth of the valley, about twenty in number from the tents and horses.They had set up stakes at intervals and cleared vegetation along a strip bordering the farms.

Pinnet retreated back after managing to steal some tubers. He neared the old house oak where they had camped and shouted out waving one arm in the air. "It's Pinnet." He climbed up the incline to the shaded area near the oldhouse and found Dave Miller waiting to give him a hand with the sack he was carrying. His wife Renee was sitting on a high branch with Pinnet's cross bow, loaded but held pointing away. There was no sign of the kids, Rob and Ginny. Renee saw him glance about and explained. "The kids have gone trapping for hare, not far about three hundred yards up the slope." Pinnet relaxed and explained the situation at the farm road adding. "It is best we move east and try for the main road, if we can cross into Bolton we should be safe."

Dave replied. "Our lives were broken when Renee got picked up. If we can stop running and hiding, things will improve." Renee admonished him. "Stop being depressing. This is the most fun I have had since we were newly wedded. Ashvale was a becoming a dead town, for humans anyway." Dave smiled at Pinnet and mumbled. "See what I have to deal with." He shook the tubers out and sat down on a rock starting to brush the dirt away and pulling the root stubs off. Pinnet nodded and made himself comfortable, sitting with legs stretched out his back resting comfortably against the old tree.

Having eaten and rested they moved off at dusk. Taking a route parallel to the farms but inside the tree line. After an hour they passed the burnt down farm where Pinnet and Mahon had rested on their way to high country. Pinnet knew this was the Butcher's work and swore to himself that he would go after the Butcher and kill him. After an hour more they came to a large area planted with winter wheat. They took a break while Pinnet scouted the farm. When he reached the house and sheds they looked deserted. There were no animals or any light. He carefully stepped out of the field
when a voice called out. "Stay there I have an arrow pointed at your gut. There is nothing left to rob you cretin, spread out your hands now." Pale lantern light illuminated the area. "Your mixblood these crazy soldiers are looking for you. What you done?"

Pinnet turned to face them and replied, "Murdered Riker Darkson"

The farmer let down the bow and arrow with a chuckle. "You put down the beast. Good for you. My baby sister died in one of his raids." He pointed to the boys holding the larnterns. "Dim them and go in." When the boys started to walk away with the dimmed lanterns he turned back to Pinnet who stood waiting where he was. "You better be gone by morning, The well is over behind that shed. And some old clothes are there in the loft. If go east from here about a league, the road turns sharply there to get around the muddy pond, no soldiers there- too many mosquitoes; there you can cross over to old Tessie's farm and keep going south to reach the road." The farmer turned away without waiting fro a response.

Pinnet came back with the millers to the well and they had a cool drink washed up turn by turn and the ladies took some clothing. Pinnet took a hat, an ancient woollen thing which had lost all color and looked grey. Pinnet used his dagger to scratch two words on a piece of wood. "Hope Winterfair". He kept the piece near the well and a silver coin over it. Soon they crossed the the pond, the farmer had given good directions and there was no soldier in sight. Pinnet insisted they keep going south till first light, he carried Rob on his back when the child was not able to keep up. When they stopped they could see patches of the main road in the grey light.

In the morning they saw a troop of soldiers pass by going towards Harden city. They waited till afternoon before climbing down to the road. They headed east, towards Shamarank and Bolton. The road was rising a little and curved left. They were on the curve when Pinnet noticed a troop of soldiers approaching . The road was wide and the vegetation nearby would not hide them. To reach the forest they would have to climb a bank and the soldiers would see them. Pinnet turned them around. "We are going to Asarac for winter jobs. Names. I am Galim, this is Dan you can be Addy. Job..." " Renee said. "Bakers. Asarac has biscuit works." There was no more time, the soldiers hailed them. The group stopped and stood huddled behind Pinnet.

Mahon felt blind and stunted. The chamber was dark and stone did not allow him to feel the outside world. The only sounds were of his breath and the trickle of water. Mahon concentrated on producing a small orb of light. A small white orb appeared on the palm of his right hand. The only feature in the room was the little stream of water in one corner starting near the top and flowing into a groove below. The water was clear and cool. Mahon raised the light to look at the ceiling, if he could trace the hole through which he had come in. There were no signs of the opening. By this time keeping the light burning was getting tiring and Mahon finding no use for it let it extinguish.

He had tried to cut a groove in the rock wall, the idea was to fill it with water and freeze the water to crack the stone. All he could manage was one span. In anger and frustration he threw fire at it. This did nothing to the wall but sucked away air. Now Mahon lay on the rough floor tired, lost and barley able to breathe. There was no easy way to break out from the room. The easiest he could think was to heat the water and aim the hot steam in a jet at the wall. Manipulating water was easier and less taxing. Heating the water was the easy part, Mahon was working on aiming the steam as a jet. He knew the theory, he had even seen Master Myanse use a scythe of air and cut thick wooden logs with it.

Mahon woke up, after how long he did not know; only that his hands and feet were stiff and his mouth was dry. He crawled to the corner and had a few sips of water and sat down. He was scared, he could feel the fear coiling in his stomach. His mind was jumping between half formed ideas and he could not decide on any course of action. Mahon had never felt this helpless. More than helpless he felt there was something not right with him. Maybe he was not meant for harnessing magic. The hopes of Pinnet, the deaths of his parents and foster parents, his friends in Shamarank, Sardy all for the wrong person. Maybe it was his twin sister Aasia who could wield magic.

The sense of failure brought with it bitterness and frustration. Mahon needed to reach his sister to rescue her. But if she was also trapped and Mahon had no magical prowess. This idea triggered a wave of anger against everyone. Mahon screamed out and banged his fists against the wall. Mahon then slumped down prone against the wall, his face and palms against the cold stone. "Aasia" he mumbled. There was a pulse, a beat inside the wall. Again in the same position Mahon thought of his twin and whispered. "Aasia". Again the wall pulsed. Mahon did not know what was happening but an excitement surged inside him.

Again he willed and spoke. "Aasia are you there?" Again there was a strong pulse. The stone wall seemed to be thrumming. He did not notice that faint blue light was now emanating from his hands. The he felt a brush of consciousness, like he felt when the elven were near, but this was different . Can it be? Mahon thought, emotions in a turmoil. He put his palms against the stone and willed and spoke. "Sister". The wall pulsed weakly but he felt the answer in his mind "Mahon?" "Yes, I am here."

Mahon felt Aasia's guarded emotions and excitement. "How is this possible? Is this a test?"

Mahon laughed and thought back. "Pinnet tells me you know sword fighting."

Aasia's response was an emotional wave. Mahon accepted it, even invited it. He thought of reaching Aasia and their kinship and orphaning. He felt Aasia's tears and his own eyes welled up with emotion. "Sister" he thought. After recovering a little Mahon found he could converse with Aasia mentally . He spoke to her about where he was and how he had made contact.

Aasia replied that their Aghauri heritage meant that stone was a tool not an obstacle. She sent to him a technique she had learnt, of molding stone. To Mahon it seemed he had learned this method and somehow recollected it now. He told her of this experience and sent Aasia his method of making light. She had a similar experience. They could each learn for both of them. Mahon felt fatigue and Aasia immediately asked him to get out of the room. They would speak again later. Mahon withdrew inward and felt Aasia detach.

Mahon drank some water and then put his new learning to work. He thought of the stone as a living mass of fibers. Then he willed the ceiling to soften and open up sending energy into it. A thin beam of blue light sprouted from each of his hands and hit the ceiling. With a groaning a portion of the ceiling opened up and with a thud it dropped down forming a ramp. Mahon walked out of the room feeling happy and victorious.