"Aah! My head!" I declare. "It hurts so bad; I think I am going to die from overreading."
Teacher peers at me from his desk, then goes back to his papers.
"Is that so…" He answers in his usual impassive tone.
I hate it when he talks like that—and he talks like that all the time. This is so annoying.
"Yes! Aren't I supposed to learn magic, like… real magic? The only thing a little bit magical that I did was sensing my essence and it was boring as hell—"
"—Language."
"Sorry..."
I fidget a bit on my desk as I ask, "Why do I have to read all these old stories?"
"You cannot be a proper sorceress if you do not know the origine of sorcery, Ìnhgū."
You always say that.
"And I'll keep saying it till the day you stop whining about every single lesson."
My eyes widen at his words, then I peer suspiciously at him. "Did you use magic to read my mind?"
An exacerbated sigh escape from his lips.
"Had you properly read your textbooks…" He says as he sits up, "You would know that the use of mind reading and mind-altering spells were forbidden thousands of years ago… so no, I did not read your mind."
Teacher makes his way to my desk; he kneels at my side, and gently pats my head.
"You have an immense potential for sorcery Ìnhgū but before you can learn anything substantial you will have to go through the boring but necessary steps to it… which include knowing your history. And…" He smirks slightly, then whispers. "If you finish quickly I promise to teach you a real spell. What do you say?"
"Really? You are not going to change your mind, are you?"
"I won't. I promise."
I immediately go back to my book. "Then I will be done by the end of the day."
"You will also have to pass my little quiz too."
A groan of agony leaves my mouth.
I should have known there was a trap somewhere. And the evil torturer that he is laughs at my misery.
"Súsù nù, Ìnhgū. I am sure you can do it."
"…That spell better be a super amazing one." I grumble.
◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊
I jolt out of sleep. Not moving, just staring at the ceiling.
When the drumming of my heart calms down, I reach out to my face and wipe away the tears.
I have come to dread the time when I must sleep. During the day, I can busy my mind with studying and learning about this unfamiliar environment and its people… but at night, I can't help but think, or dream, of Teacher.
I miss home… so much.
I try to shake out the sad thoughts, there is no time to feel sorry for myself.
"Haa… I need a cold shower."
I step out of the tent. The sun isn't up yet, there is hardly anyone up so early in the morning, except for the mercenaries that were assigned with guard duty last night. There are also a lot more of these 'warriors' among the guards, surely due to last night's attack. I greet some of them as I walk by, some try not to look in my direction, but I don't miss the curious glances they all throw at me.
Apart from the expedition unit I met in the tunnels and some close collaborators of Kayin's, none truly know who I am.
I made it a point with him to have as few people knowing my identity as possible. I am well aware that my secret is bound to be discovered at one point, but people generally have a tough time to believe that something is real—even when it's staring right at their faces… I mean, who would believe that a civilization they thought to be extinct for millennia is actually not completely extinct? It would be challenging even for me too to accept such a thing.
And as far as they are concerned, I am just the weird sorceress they found underground.
During my sessions with Kayin, he told me that in this era, sorcerers can wield only a single mystic art. This, more than the existence of warriors, surprised me the most.
The mystical Arts are generally classified into two categories; firstly, there are the Elemental Arts, also known as the Primordial Arts, which is the manipulation of earth, water, fire, air, and lightning.
Then there are the Occult Arts, this includes voodoo, dimensionalism, healing, and many more. Actually, any art which does not involve the use of the elements are classified under the 'occult' banner.
So, what happened for sorcerers of this era to be limited to the use of a single art?
Well… Kayin also mentioned that, unlike us Nchāren, they do not need to use staffs or chants for spells, so I made a hypothesis.
Sorcerers in my era uses chants to call upon a specific art, while our staffs help us to give it a direction, a focus. The only art in which we do not need either is when manipulating our raw Spiritual essence, since it already is a part of us.
On the other hand, the sorcerers of this era are born attuned with a specific mystical art, so I guess chanting and using a staff is pointless in their situation. I had thought it would be a disadvantage for them but after experimenting with Kayin I understood it came with a certain benefit.
The benefit being that they hold complete dominion over their attuned art.
When I called for the wind during one of my tests, Kayin was able to easily wretch out my control from me, even when I was fully concentrated on it.
This happened every single time.
Meanwhile when he called for the wind, I couldn't do a thing, it was like the wind became an entity completely inaccessible to me, and the way he manipulated it… he clearly did not look like he was giving it any special thought, it felt almost reflexive for him, like… moving a limb.
This is so very interesting—
—Anyway, I concluded that this age's sorcerers somehow… Mutated? Or evolved? …from what we used to be, relinquishing the ability to wield all Arts to mastering a specific one.
Of course, that is with the assumption that all the sorcerers of this time have the same level of control over their art as Kayin's.
Regardless of that, this… it complicates things for me, it means that I will be forced to wield a single art—in the presence of an audience that is… but still.
It is a bit annoying.
In no time I make it to the lake. I take a quick dive in the waters then return to the camp; they must be preparing to leave by now. I was on my way to Ewa's tent and invite her to breakfast with me when I spot Ike, he is sitting not too far on a dead tree trunk.
I do not quite manage to hide the smirk on my face when I walk in his direction, and the helplessness on his face at the sight of me almost makes me jump with delight, almost.
Apart from Ewa and Kayin, Ike have become one of the people I enjoy being around with, maybe a little bit more than the former two.
He is mostly a quiet person, the type of guy who does not speak except, when necessary or spoken to but in spite of his intimidating demeanour, he is kind. The proof of that being the fact that he tolerates me even at the times when I'm clearly there just to pester him.
I like him.
"Good morning, Ike" I say with an even voice.
"Greetings Vyswe'eyaga"
He makes some space for me to sit down.
"You know…" he starts when I am comfortably sited. "Sometimes I get the feeling that you have some kind of vendetta against me."
I very slowly blink thrice at his words.
"Why would you think that?" I say as I tilt my head to the side. "Might it not be that I just, very simply, enjoy your company?"
He side-eyes me from head to toe.
What is that supposed to mean?
Clearly, he believes that I'm just enacting an act of revenge, which is outrageous given that we barely know each other.
It certainly is not because I'm still sour about the way he manhandled me back in the tunnels, and that I am taking advantage of his kindness toward me to hound him every occasion I get.
I'm not that petty.
"I have known many women, girl… They don't enjoy my company the way you do."
"Then you clearly haven't known as many women as you think." I drawl. His face remains impressively expressionless, still, he does not quite manage to hide the barely perceivable twitch of his eyebrow. "And I'll have you know that I do not qualify as a girl, I'll be thirty-six in a few months."
Or maybe I already am?
My calendar is completely muddled.
"And that is so unfair—" I almost jump out of my sit at the sound of the new voice.
I turn to face Ewa who came out of nowhere and is now sitting next to me. Great skies, she will give me a heart attack one of these days.
"—You look no older than twenty, yet you are actually our big sister? Where is the justice in that, hmm?"
"We're the same age." Ike says in a very serious tone.
"I am technically thousands of years old." I rebuke. "So I am older than you."
"What? Your millennia long beauty sleep doesn't count!" Exclaims Ewa.
She is probably right. During that period of stasis, I was isolated from the world outside, hence, I did not experience time like everything else.
"Maybe… Now that I think about it, how old are you?"
Ewa dramatically gasps as she places a hand on her chest.
"You did not! Have your mother never told you that it was rude to ask about lady's age?"
"I wouldn't know, I don't have a mother. And it is not rude since I am a woman myself." I say with a shrug. And is she not the one who inquired about my age first? "Nevertheless, there is no reason for you to be shy about your age, back home it is considered as a subject of pride you know."
"Why don't you 'ladies' go eat your breakfast… before there's nothing left."
I narrow my eyes at Kayin, he is obviously trying to get rid of us.
If he thinks that it will work, then he is in for a—
"You're right! Come on Eyaga, I am starving." She does not let me have a say and quite literally drags me away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The camp was packed, and we were already leaving by sunrise.
The journey to the capital city of Bamen; Asso, is a long one, especially because the people in this age having a glaring lack of fast means of transportation. The most common mode of transportation being trekking.
Which I am not a great fan.
We are currently in the highlands but need to cross a river called Stu before being able to reach the capital. I wondered how we would cross it given that they don't use SCPLEs.
So, I asked. Kayin said we will be carried by a boat to the other side… A real boat!
I have never been on a boat before… I know what they look like, there are—were scale models of them in the Museums back in Nchāre. They stopped being useful after the creation of the Spirit Crystal-powered locomotive engine, and anyone else who wasn't using them could just fly with sorcery… or use the dimensional waypoints.
The point is, just reaching the river will take us at least a week, then another two to reach the capital. And I have to walk that whole distance?
Nuh-uh, that is not happening.
I don't have the inhuman strength nor stamina the warriors have. Last time I saw one of them carry a game that had to at least weigh six time his weight, but the lack of strain and nonchalance with which he was carrying it proved it did not bother him in the least. I also saw Ike train together last night. I may not be knowledgeable in the art of combat, but I am damn certain it is not something a normal human can do. The most infuriating part is that no one seems to know why and how they are so strong. 'There are many theories of how and why warriors came to be over the years, but none are convincing enough, all that is known is that people with formidable physical prowess just appeared one after the other hundreds of years ago.' Kayin had said.
Anyway, I can't walk so far for so long. I have never walked so far for so long. I am chubby for a reason. That is why I very clearly enumerated the several reasons why I cannot—and will not—walk for so long. I had rather be carried like all the older folks.
And Kayin being the smart, sensible man that he is, let me ride on one of their beasts. They are large, hoofed mammals, they are absolutely massive, with an imposing pair of horns atop their heads, they have wholly black fur and their eyes are of a deep crimson colour. Their appearance couldn't be anymore imposing, but apparently, they are pretty common, they are called Graes, and since they are huge and strong, resilient animals, they are used by people to carry heavy loads.
And this group sure has a lot of baggage, a lot more than when I first encountered them. They must have found the ruins of the SCPLE… A sigh escape from my lips at the thought, it was inevitable that they did. Still, I feel guilty for not trying to stop them, and leaving the surviving youngsters in those caves too. Maybe some have awakened already—but no, I would know if they did.
Again, the sad thoughts don't stop from filling my head. So, I decide to observe the landscape instead.
At least the view is nice from up here, I have a clear vantage point of the hills and valleys. The meadows are vast, their beauty breathtaking, and I can't help but appreciate the freshness of the air and the feel of the sun, warm on my skin.
I could almost forget the long time I have spent underground; the air was stale and mossy down there. So many years indoors had paled my complexion a bit, but my capsule still managed to not make it too apparent… That doesn't compare to being under the sun though.
My gaze lingers on a silhouette in the distance.
Far, far away, in the horizon a giant structure can be seen. It is so massively tall that its top is hidden up in the clouds, from hear it appears to be just a few centimetres wide but up close it must be enormous.
"Do you know what that fortress is?"
I shift my intention to Kayin who is now walking next to the Grae I'm riding on. I contemplate his question for a while, then nod my head.
"The Hanging gardens… that's what it is called."
Kayin's eyes widen, his pupils turning into pin holes, "A… garden?"
I smile wryly, "You know… a place where you grow crops—fruits, vegetables—all that."
"I know what a garden is…"
He falls silent after that, probably formulating his next question.
"I read that for centuries curious adventurers, historians, and research groups all over the world attempted to enter it, without success. Some sorcerers with flight abilities also tried to fly above it and access it from the top. But it's so high up in the sky that at some point they almost lacked oxygen… Some were too stubborn and fell to their deaths.
It's only recently that a joint collaboration of the four continents' best ward masters managed to unlock the Wards and entered the first floor… the remaining ones are still inaccessible yet."
I look back at the garden.
"Interesting, but not surprising. The garden was one of the most protected infrastructures of the Empire, even more protected than the Imperial palace and the Archives combined. After all, it is the place where all the known edible plants and medicinal herbs are cultivated and stored."
Kayin almost miss a step as he walks but catches himself on time.
"All the plants in the world?!" He practically shouts.
I frown at him, and he clears his throat in embarrassment.
"All the known plants of the world… To us at least. With so many centuries having gone by, the flora must have changed a great deal."
"Yes, of course… So…" He cautiously says, "You know how to access it?"
I shake my head, "Not here Kayin…"
He seems to realize where we are, then nods. But the dejection on his face is clear as daylight.
He will later be even more disappointed when I will tell him that I can't access it. To be able to, a special pass is needed, and only the imperial botanists and the emperor himself are—were in possession of it.
Kayin does not ask any more questions as we continue our journey through the highlands.