McIan
Journeyman
Sitting by the glowing fireplace, Scar, deep in thought, lounged in a cushioned chair. He had two major problems. One, his dear friend Korbin had been kidnapped by the pirate queen’s forces during an ambush on Papua. This had to be considered well, for if he acted hastily, it might result in his friend’s death, or worse. The second was the formula he was sent by an anonymous person. It was some kind of potion or elixir of enhancing the powers of an animal or creature. He knew it was not meant for him; he needed no such enhancement were he to shape change. Fortunately, the medicinal advice and supplies he had secured from the swamp witch and James both quelled, at least during necessary times of the full moon, his overwhelming urge to do that… as long as he remained relatively stress free… which he earnestly, and with aid, strived to do.
The front door opened and Vospar Nylam, Magnus’ older brother, stepped through. A chill blew in behind him as he closed it and wiped his feet on the mat. “Autumn is making itself felt,” he stated, shivering. “I may need to break out my cold-weather clothes,” he added.
Scar nodded and motioned him over to sit down in an adjacent seat. “The fire will warm you. Join me, will you?”
Vospar nodded and complied. Spying a bottle of wine and two goblets, he poured himself one and offered one to Scar, who smiled, nodding. He poured the wine and handed one to Scar.
Noticing the paper Scar was holding, Vospar spoke up. “What is that you are reading, if I may ask?”
Scar sighed. “It is a formula for some kind of potion or elixir. It arrived via a courier from an unknown source. I have showed it around but no one is certain what it is, much less who sent it. I am pondering it again,” he explained.
“May I see it?” Vospar took a sip of his wine.
Scar leaned over and handed it to him, quaffing his wine and reaching for the bottle to pour another.
Vospar took the paper and began reading it. His eyes widened. He brought the paper close to his eyes and then back out again as if trying to focus on something.
“What’s wrong?” Scar inquired, noting the odd behavior.
“This writing! I would bet my life that it is my brother, Magnus’! It is his, I swear it! I would know it anywhere! We used to communicate almost always by letters, and this is his by the gods!! Look! He makes his “t” just this way, and the slant… it all fits!” he loudly exclaimed, showing what he meant by showing him the script and pointing to the letter.
“Magnus? Why would he write this to me?”
Vospar examined the letter carefully. “Well, you are correct. This is a formula for a potion and my experience as a son of nature tells me it is for some kind of animal or beast. I dare say it is to make it more powerful and battle worthy. In fact, it would make the creature much larger and able to take a lot of damage.”
Now Scar’s eyes widened. He sat up in the chair, then placed his goblet on the small table between them. “Of course! How stupid of me! It is a potion used to create the wolves that are attacking Delucia and Papua!! Someone sent me the formula; told me I must figure out the rest!”
“But why would my brother send it to you? And where is he? What is going on?” Vospar’s facial expression revealed concern and hope intermingled.
The time had come. There was no more use in hiding the information, even if it meant alienation from this good, honest, man he had come to know and love as his own brother. He sat back in the chair and sighed, locking eyes with Vospar who remained leaning forward. “There is something I must tell you, friend, dear friend, that I have kept from you. Hear me out. I kept it from you to protect you from hurt, from pain. I know it was wrong of me to do that, and if you hate me, despise me for keeping it from you, I would not blame you…”
Vospar sat back in the chair. He took a deep gulp of his wine, staring at the wall in front of him. “Tell me everything. I am ready my friend.”
The front door opened and Vospar Nylam, Magnus’ older brother, stepped through. A chill blew in behind him as he closed it and wiped his feet on the mat. “Autumn is making itself felt,” he stated, shivering. “I may need to break out my cold-weather clothes,” he added.
Scar nodded and motioned him over to sit down in an adjacent seat. “The fire will warm you. Join me, will you?”
Vospar nodded and complied. Spying a bottle of wine and two goblets, he poured himself one and offered one to Scar, who smiled, nodding. He poured the wine and handed one to Scar.
Noticing the paper Scar was holding, Vospar spoke up. “What is that you are reading, if I may ask?”
Scar sighed. “It is a formula for some kind of potion or elixir. It arrived via a courier from an unknown source. I have showed it around but no one is certain what it is, much less who sent it. I am pondering it again,” he explained.
“May I see it?” Vospar took a sip of his wine.
Scar leaned over and handed it to him, quaffing his wine and reaching for the bottle to pour another.
Vospar took the paper and began reading it. His eyes widened. He brought the paper close to his eyes and then back out again as if trying to focus on something.
“What’s wrong?” Scar inquired, noting the odd behavior.
“This writing! I would bet my life that it is my brother, Magnus’! It is his, I swear it! I would know it anywhere! We used to communicate almost always by letters, and this is his by the gods!! Look! He makes his “t” just this way, and the slant… it all fits!” he loudly exclaimed, showing what he meant by showing him the script and pointing to the letter.
“Magnus? Why would he write this to me?”
Vospar examined the letter carefully. “Well, you are correct. This is a formula for a potion and my experience as a son of nature tells me it is for some kind of animal or beast. I dare say it is to make it more powerful and battle worthy. In fact, it would make the creature much larger and able to take a lot of damage.”
Now Scar’s eyes widened. He sat up in the chair, then placed his goblet on the small table between them. “Of course! How stupid of me! It is a potion used to create the wolves that are attacking Delucia and Papua!! Someone sent me the formula; told me I must figure out the rest!”
“But why would my brother send it to you? And where is he? What is going on?” Vospar’s facial expression revealed concern and hope intermingled.
The time had come. There was no more use in hiding the information, even if it meant alienation from this good, honest, man he had come to know and love as his own brother. He sat back in the chair and sighed, locking eyes with Vospar who remained leaning forward. “There is something I must tell you, friend, dear friend, that I have kept from you. Hear me out. I kept it from you to protect you from hurt, from pain. I know it was wrong of me to do that, and if you hate me, despise me for keeping it from you, I would not blame you…”
Vospar sat back in the chair. He took a deep gulp of his wine, staring at the wall in front of him. “Tell me everything. I am ready my friend.”