016 - Journey to the East

"I want to live!" Magnus cried out, "Pa, I want to live. I want to be strong, I want to find Festus, I want to save Rolf. Pa!"

"Good!" Pa Lund fell back heavily onto the bed. "Good. Keep all those wants close to your heart Magnus. You need to live. Willis, tell the lad what you told me, I need to rest."

"Magnus," Willis beckoned him over. "The Witching Road - remember! They are to the east, everyone says so."

"To the east. Right. The Witching Road." Magnus repeated.

"You'll have to ask in the town taverns, try to avoid the cities . . looking like you do you'll be hounded as a plague bearer, you'll have to go wrapped up." Willis paused, breathing deeply.

"I'll be alright Uncle." Magnus held Willis hand.

"I've arranged a horse for you, my old nag. There's some coin and a few weeks worth of hardtack. You'll need to go east, over the mountains and into the hinterlands. The Witching Road, Magnus - they fight against the Alchemists. If anyone can help you . ."

"I understand." Tears welled in Magnus' eyes.

"You'll have to go ahead, me and Pa are pretty torn up. Soon as we heal we'll follow, but you have to hurry, don't go waiting on us, alright?" Willis reached out weakly embracing Magnus.

"Yes Uncle."

"Cross the mountains, it's the quickest way to the hinterlands. Try to get to the Midlands, it should take less than a month. Maybe there . ." Willis let go of Magnus.

"Come over, I've got something for you." Pa Lund called out to Magnus. "Here, take this," Pa took a gold ring of his finger and passed it Magnus. "It has been in the Lund family for generations, my father gave it to me, and I would have given it to your father . . take it. Remember who you are. No matter where you go or what you do, you are a Lund first, remember that!"

"Yes!"

"Now, get out of here!" Pa Lund roared.

"To the east, Magnus!" Willis called after him.

Magnus left the fisherman's house, outside Petra waited. She took him to the back and bandaged his arms and face with several rolls of linen, gave him a hood and cloak.

Magnus' mind buzzed, Pa's and Willis voices were like thunder, brewing a storm in his heart - every second of the last week played over and over like a fever dream, every action he took - I wanted power, I gave myself to the Alchemist. . . if I had acted different? If I had done something else? Then I would be dead! Killed by the black skins in Kloster with the rest!

Petra finished bandaging and left silently, Magnus sat quietly outside the house looking at the sky.

"He's gone," from inside the house Magnus heard Willis' voice. "We do the right thing, Pa?"

"Was the only thing. Can't do more then that." Pa Lunds' voice sounded so very weak and faint. "I've not long Willis, feel it in my bones."

"My spines cracked Pa, your arms gone. We're on our way out together . . hah ah ha . ." Willis coughed and fell silent.

"Best we get him on his way, least he can chase after a chance of living." Pa Lund sighed. "Those black lines on his skin, a month Willis. Better a month in hope than just waiting with us to . . ."

"Yeah, Pa, yeah."

"..."

Magnus got to his feet. His uncle's horse had been readied and tied to a post at the edge of the village. Magnus climbed into the saddle and set off on the coastal path.

Within a day he had left everything familiar behind. The town of Kloster, the nearby villages and fields that he'd run and played in, the beaches and the cliff, everything Magnus called home vanished over the horizon. Everything the Alchemists touched had turned to ruin.

A day passed, then another. Magnus travelled east, inland through mountain tracks. There were few people on the roads, shepherds and goat herders and a few travellers going between villages. Magnus stopped each and every passerby, asking them all of the Witching Road. None recognized the name, he asked them if they'd heard anything about Alchemists, a few said they'd heard there was one in Kloster but didn't know anything more than that.

He followed the valleys and paths around the rocky peaks, urging the horse to move a little faster, to go a little further, only stopping when it became too dark to see the path.

On the eve of the fourth day he came out of the mountains and into a valley. Up ahead was a village by a river and from it Magnus saw a man running up the path toward him, following the man was a mob waving pitchforks and shouting angrily. The man spotted Magnus, running at him and waving his arms, the mob hot on his heels.

"Thank the gods!" The man darted behind Magnus' horse and squatted down to catch his breath. "Master! I, your student, needs help!"

"Master?" Magnus cocked his head.

The mob of villagers stopped seeing Magnus and the man.

"Alchemist! Get back here!"

"Peasants, halt! Don't you see you're in the presence of my Master, the great Telemundo?" The man yelled from behind the horse.

"You're Master Telemundo?" A peasant cried out in shock.

"Of course he is!" The Alchemist said with indignation. "Ignorant peasant filth, get back! Back to your hovels before the Great Telemundo turns you all into toads!"