Two weeks later…

The room lightened up as the sun rose over the horizon. Rather, that’s what Rehtul first thought as he looked up from his books. The light flickered, however, and the mage looked up to find a paper lantern floating in the middle of his study. Its soft light reflected off the gold foil spines of his books as he just sat there, dumbfounded.

“What the hell is this?” He reached up and grabbed the paper dangling from the floating lantern. As his fingers brushed the page, goosebumps rose on his skin. Traces of magic lingered on the paper. He ripped it free and released the lantern through the window. Returning to his desk, he read the letter beneath the light of his lamp.

Something was coming, something momentous. Another had seen it. For days now, the ice mage had felt a disturbance in the air, tugging west toward Alerar. To receive a letter guided by the wind, from Alerar was no coincidence. His eyes lingered on the words ‘astrological disturbance’ scrawled in tight black script on the page.

“This… can’t be good.” He frowned. “Elijah, huh? I haven’t seen you since Salvar.” At a party neither of them should have attended.

Rehtul pulled his shirt from his back, letting the sweaty fabric hang freely. He scanned his bookshelves and picked out a few for Felicity to read on the way. The trip over the mountains west of Raiaera wasn’t quick or easy.

He opened the door to the dark corridor and yelled, “Felicity! Pack your things, we’re going to Alerar!”

=====================================

A rickety wagon waited in front of the manor with a pair of weathered old horses, the best Rehtul could do on short notice. The driver dared to charge him more than a luxury carriage.

“Short notice, ye understan’?” he had said. While the mage did not understand, he had no choice. The next carriage to Alerar was a week away.

“As long as you can keep a steady pace and get us there, I don’t really care,” He dropped fifteen gold coins into the wagoner’s hand.

“And yer sure ye won’t be needin’ any guards? I gotta couple boys looking to earn a few gold as well,” the man said with a half-toothed smile, rubbing his gray beard with an eye on the purse.

“I doubt that’ll be necessary. I’m not exactly defenseless and my…” Rehtul coughed, “My… partner is a walking armory. Anyone stupid enough to waylay us on the road will be sorry they did so.”

He furrowed his brow, but then just shrugged. “As ye say. Shall we get going?”

The mage nodded, and they were off as the sun crawled up toward midday. The old waggon jostled Rehtul around as it trundled along the bumpy road; he could feel bruises forming almost immediately.

“I swear, if I end up full of splinters…”