Chimes went by. Still there was no sign he was any closer to the road than he'd been before. Roland was beginning to worry. The walls of Alvadas, now on his left, were weathered smooth with age and revealed no clues of distance. The clouds overhead brought a chill wind with them, but his body was warm. The energy boiling inside him saw to that. Puffs of condensation trailed in the air behind him as he ran, hovering like ghosts over his footprints.
Inside, his core began to burn. His legs were preemptively sore. He pumped his arms a little harder, tugging gently at the energy inside to release a little more. It was dangerous to push himself, but he didn't want to be caught out in the forest when the Flux ran out. From experience, he knew that he was in for a miserable time. He couldn't remember a time when he'd used Flux that he hadn't ended up in pain for the rest of the day, at least. But it was hard to resist and he knew, he just knew, that practice would make perfect.
As he tired, his grip on the magic loosened. The focused energy in his legs and core filtered into the rest of his body. He felt the muscles in his fingers, his neck, even his mouth tighten and relax as the magic passed through them. It was the mark of a novice Flux user: with little control, the enhancements would randomly affect extraneous muscle groups.
In this case, however, the extra rush dulled some of the pain in his body. It meant he could go a little longer. And so he plodded along, retracing his footsteps in the dim mid-morning light. Between the leaves he could see the clouds thicken and darken.
The energy in his body was reflected in the skies above. There was a distant rumble as the first drop plopped on his forehead. Shyke. A flash of light followed soon after. Where was that road? His chest was beginning to heave.I could push a little harder. Pull just a little more. What harm could it do? It would get me back to the road quicker. That would be good, right? That would be worth it. He shook off the thoughts, clinging to the little voice that told him no.
Restraint. Restraint would get him home.
As the rain began in earnest, he began to rein in his magic. The extra force to his steps wouldn't help him if the ground was getting wet. Instead, he concentrated on quieting the Flux to a little buzz throughout his body. Just enough to keep him going. He continued in this way for a few chimes more before his limbs started to feel numb.
The road should be here. Somewhere. Ionu be merciful! Let me find your gate! Rainwater mixed with sweat, pouting down his face and back. He reached up a hand mid-stride, slicking his long hair back and out of his eyes. Thunder roared once more, significantly closer, and the air smelled richly of ozone. Lightning struck the ground only a dozen meters ahead of him. Roland threw his hands up in front of his eyes, blinded by the sudden flash. His feet slid to a sudden stop. Chest heaving, muscles burning, he nearly fell to his knees.
But there ahead, where the lightning had flashed, was the road. "I don't believe it... There was no sign of the strike as he neared. No seared earth. Just the road, and the rain, and the gaping maw.
Forcing his legs to carry him just a little bit farther, Roland jogged up the road and under the cover of the great stone teeth. When he first arrived he never would have imagined feeling [i]safe[/i[ within the jaws of the massive stone visage. But now, like it or not, it meant home. The tunnel ran the depth of the wall. He trudged along, rubbing his sore limbs. Echoes of dripping water rang out from the cobblestones below him.
Finally, he stepped out onto the streets of Alvadas. His jaw dropped in disbelief. The sun hung cheerfully in the sky, bathing the city in its warm glow. The people went about their business in cotton skirts and light jackets. One man was even without a shirt entirely. For the most part they ignored the dazed and soaking Roland. They were used to the effects Ionu's tricks could have. Roland was not.
Groaning, he began to walk, ringing out his clothes as he went. Obviously, Ionu's reach extended outside his city. If that was so, did it mean the illusive god of tricks disapproved of his practice? He knew the people disliked magic. It made him uncomfortable indeed to think he might have earned the ire of a god today.
His aching muscles reminded him he had other concerns. Even walking right now was a chore, and he did not look forward to how much longer he still had to go. The Newcomer's Tonic he'd been forced to take had worn of days ago, but he had a decent handle on how things worked now. In his mind, he pictured where he needed to go: home, to a good meal and a warm bed. And with that in mind he picked a street, gritted his teeth, and started walking.
Word Count: 909
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by Roland Eir on November 1st, 2017, 6:40 am 
