Chapter Three:

Dawn’s Approach

Jerry fumbled with the dark brown cloak that had the fist holding a branch center on the back. It was the one Tyas had given him back while there were still on Breakwater Isle. Jerry shook his head. Back then, to him, there were only humans and trees didn’t glow…

He slapped his cheeks and cheered himself up. There was no use in moping over anything.

As he exited the building, he was surprised to see that they were three stories up. Down below, there were two central Morning trees that were entwined in the courtyard. No… it was more like they reached up two more stories than his perch. But still, they were a far cry smaller than the giant Morning Tree back at Yera’s Crossing. Well, every Morning tree was giant compared to the normal non-glowing trees.

Though the Morning trees weren’t glowing right then, as the sun still shone into the courtyard. There was maybe an hour left of sunlight before it would dip below the cliffs that hugged the village.

He looked out beyond the buildings surrounding the two entwining Morning trees and a small river became apparent as it flowed from somewhere to the right; which was confusing because it seemed to flow from the direction of the cliff.

But Jerry just shrugged his shoulders and put it out of mind as he spotted Mictoria and Ysa down at the Morning trees. He trotted down the sweeping stair ways that led down below, and for the moment enjoyed the run.

As he got to the ground, Christoff swept from the shadows from a wooden crate just left of the stairs he just came from. Jerry jerked in surprise. He had not seen Christoff at all…

“Whoa! That was awesome! How did you do that?”

Christoff chuckled as he asked,

“I see you have an enthusiasm for the art of sneaking, no?”

Jerry’s eyes beamed, he had always enjoyed books about covert ops and recon behind enemy lines, he and Calin had entertain themselves for years by trying to outsneak the other. And seeing someone so effortlessly do it… Jerry nodded vigorously.

Christoff hopped onto another crate and looked down.

“It is fine skill to have if you keep it honourable. It is sad beyond measure to hear of those who would do evil with the skill. If we survive our rescue mission, Nísir Jerry, I would teach you what I know and what I was taught many years ago. But I will do it the right way. Yes?”

It was almost entirely clear to him that the ones who did evil with sneaking were thieves and assassins. Jerry couldn’t help but whole heartedly agree that it was sad.

Without twitching a muscle, Jerry nodded and resolutely said,

“That’s the way I want it.”

“Good. Now come.” Christoff said as he jumped from crate to crate, before dropping onto the path.

Hurrying after him, Jerry asked,

“Where did you learn these things from?”

“From the place where I suspect your friend is going this very moment… the Cities of Ever.”

Jerry stopped abrubly. He clenched his fist and grimaced as the still tender flesh pulled taut. For a moment his mind was a warzone as he clashed against his decision to leave Calin behind, to leave him to face untold dangers alone…

But, Jerry sighed and shook it off, if he hadn’t come this way, Mictoria and Christoff might be dead and Kara without any foreseeable help.

Still, it weighed heavily on his mind. It was not a simple matter. He grudgingly admitted Calin had a point in why. Yet, it didn’t take away the weight of letting his best friend, which was like a brother, go off alone in this world.

Just then a hand dropped onto his shoulders.

“Do not fear young one, Nísir Calin is a strong man. I’ve seen it.”

Jerry nodded at Christoff comforting him and said,

“Yeah, he is. But I can’t help but worry about him… and Evany.”

The gypsy’s hand squeezed his shoulder and Jerry smiled reassuringly as they walked around the corner. The courtyard opened up and there was a Floating Caravan, with Ysa and Mictoria gesturing wildly to a man in full plated armor. Jerry marvelled at the armor, it was straight out of a medieval movie! But it looked so much more awesome, with it being actually real. The armor itself was a green stained glass color, but it was clearly some sort of metal. There were intricate designs of gold engraved onto the metal and darker patches that accentuated the whole thing.

Jerry wiped the drool from his mouth and approached Mictoria. His inner kid was on full alert.

“… regardeless of that fact, Nasyri, it is just too dangerous that I could send any more of my men up there. We’ve lost hundreds on the pass to those monsters. Even Moons’ Reach is completely unreachable at this very moment. There are just too many of those creatures all around Dawn’s Approach that I can spare any of my ranks.”

“You are the Tza’Vengard…” Mictoria said with urgency. “Your very creed is to protect.”

The man in the green full plated armor just shook his head.

“Even so, we lost so many in just a few days… to these creatures that we do not yet in the least know where they came from, or what they are. It is madness to go to that pass. This is my final word.”

The man started to walk away. His ginger hair hid away his face.

“Gerah.” Mictoria said the name in a pleading way after him.

The man’s shoulders dropped and he said,

“You can get equipment from the blacksmith and the store. Tell them I gave you permission. And… … maybe you can ask Tiro Imer if he would brave that pass with you… But more than that, you are on your own, Mictoria.”

His eyes looked concerned. And somehow Jerry could discern that the man called Gerah had been out to try and dissuade Mictoria from going back for the rescue.

Mictoria huffed and sat down on the only stone near the Morning trees.

“Sands… That was not what I was hoping for. Guess we need to plan carefully what we do next.”

Christoff walked past Jerry to his sister and said,

“It is not a total loss. But I agree… we need to travel with great caution and well thought out preparation.”

Just then Ysa came out of nowhere, her fists balled and her cheeks puffed up. Her tail flicked back and forth in clear agitation.

“I’ll show him!” Ysa fumed, “He acts more like a coward than anything these days! And he still treats me like I’m a kid.”

“Hush now, Ysa. I understand your frustration, but we take what we can get. Remember Gerah helped your parents greatly only half a year ago.”

Ysa frowned cutely. The Leafling just lifted her hands and said,

“Hmmpf. Doesn’t mean he can just go about forgetting his creed.”

“Strong words as always, Ysa.” Christoff said as he dropped his hand on Ysa’s head and patted her dark purple hair.

It was like it squeezed out all the air out of her puffed up cheeks as she blew out the air and grunted. But, already her tail looked less agitated in its movements.

Jerry, chuckled at the scene. It brought levity to an intense situation.

Just then Mictoria touched his shoulder and Jerry turned to look at the short woman. Well, short against his tall stature. She actually had half a head in length over Calin.

She looked at him and said,

“Nísir Jerry, this is going to get ugly and I’d like you come into the caravan with me.”

He nodded readily and walked with her. He glanced back and Ysa was pointing a finger at Christoff, her tail stood straight out. In the sunlight it was clear that her smooth tail was the same color and texture as her skin. The girl was saying something stern to Christoff, before they disappeared around the tree. Jerry turned and walked to the door of the caravan.

The large Floating Caravan drifted soundlessly in the air, and it was quite tricky to get a good foot on the small steps that led inside. He managed it and entered, but he stopped as Mictoria stood wordlessly with her hand on a closet. Her delicate features were creased in worry.

“Mictoria?”

“Nísir… you never heard of Affinity Stones?”

Jerry nodded.

“I cannot fathom how this is possible…” Mictoria said in her strange accent. “But that being as it may, I need to explain something to you before there is any danger. I fear there would be no chance in the heat of battle.”

His finger scratched at his stubble and he said,

“Sure. I’m all ears.”

She smiled, but only slightly, before she said,

“I’ll teach you as we go, but you have to understand the nature of Affinity Stones and Shaping before I can even consider the favour I might need of you, Nísir.”

Her fingers curled around a small case and she walked over to him.

Jerry looked at the case with utmost curiosity. It was almost impossible to imagine what these Affinity Stones were. So when Mictoria opened the case, his nose was almost touching the lid.

A soft giggle came from the woman and Jerry straightened up but watched as three small coin sized stones came into view. One was a bland grey color, the second was a more chiselled rose quarts color and the third looked almost ominous to look at as light refracted in its glass white depths. He had never seen stones like these.

“These are Affinity stones, Nísir. One lesser, one greater and one grand. There are different stones of different strength. But, for this, it would work.”

He didn’t understand in the least but he wanted to touch them, but as he reached out to the glass white one, Mictoria shouted,

“Wait! Don’t touch it!” Her voice was tight with pure concern.

It made him stop what he was doing.

“Why can’t I touch the stones?”

Mictoria blew out a big breath of relief and said,

“Not that one. It is because of their nature, Nísir. Affinity stones are found almost exclusively near Morning trees, underground near glimmer stone or the like and only on occasion. They have the, what do you call it, ability to draw energy from their surroundings and thus take up the nature of the Morning tree they reside by. But in doing so, it makes them both incredibly useful and incredibly dangerous. The raw energies of nature can be volatile—” She looked intently at the stones, strange emotions ran across her face, then she spoke again.

“—It takes time for a person to get in tune with it. But when we do so, we gain abilities ourselves.”

Jerry’s eyes flashed up. What was being said, was so far beyond the realm of reality, but Mictoria looked dead serious. And he was reminded immediately what Ysa had done, when she healed his hands.

“Abilities, like in powers?” Jerry asked cautiously. “Ysa’s healing?”

The gypsy seemed to the ponder the question for a moment before she said,

“One can say that, yes. It is called the Tree Arts. And Ysa has the ability to Shape the energy that the stone naturally draws to itself into healing.”

Jerry’s eyes popped open wide.

“Remarkable! Where I come from, this doesn’t exist.”

Mictoria frowned deeply next to him.

“I still can’t perceive a world like that. Affinity stones are completely weaved into our world. Without them, our fight against the monsters of the night…” She shuddered.

It was something to consider. But seeing the anxiety his own words caused in her, made him place a hand on her shoulder.

“I will tell you one of these days. But, our time is short at the moment. So if you don’t mind getting to your point.”

The gypsy woman nodded after a moment, before she took a deep breath.

“I will keep you to that, Nísir Jerry. Though, you are right. Now, to get closer to my question. There is a clear progression to what you are able to atune to. If like Ysa, you would want to become a healer, then one needs to first atune to a lesser stone with healing properties before being able to atune to a greater of the kind. In fact, it is dangerous to even touch a greater stone if you haven’t first atuned to the lesser of its type. Do you understand my meaning, Nísir?”

“Strange as it is, I think so. So, you can’t just pick up a grand stone without it hurting you?” Jerry pointed at the glass like white stone.

Mictoria smiled like she was pleased he got the gist of it.

“Indeed. But, that is only for the vast majority it seems. Kara’s resistance to her belt’s affinity stones and your resistance to Ysa’s healing, made me wonder. Because, if what you say is true and you and Kara had never had contact with affinity stones before, it would then be remarkable that she is fine in wearing greater stones from the start without it taking her to the ground within a minute.”

Jerry stared at her in pure confusion.

“Huh? Kara’s belt? What are you talking about?”

Conflict creased her brow. She took a moment before she said,

“Normally it is rude to talk about the affinity stones one is wearing. But, I had my suspicion. And the belt Madam Kara is wearing definitely has active affinity stones in them. She had already started showing signs of changing. Though, instead of it hurting her because she had not started with the lesser of that kind, it seems she has already started atuning to those greater stones; which is incredibly surprising to say the least. Yet, when you showed such resistance to Ysa’s healing, the notion that humans might be more resistant to raw affinity gave me hope, in a certain sense.”

Mictoria looked at him like she was afraid to go on. Though, before he could say something, she took a breath and said,

“It is for this reason, I wish to ask if you would be willing to risk wearing the armor we discovered many years ago, Nísir? It is armor that has the ability to cause rapid levitation.”

Jerry’s eyes widened in surprise, his imagination already doing flip flops at the idea! But, Mictoria held up a hand and said,

“Before you even consider saying yes, I will say this. It has a grand affinity stone embedded in it. We have never found a lesser or greater stone in the same affinity that can lead to being able to wear such armor, not yet. Many Nasyri had hurt themselves greatly in figuring out the type of affinity it bears and in trying to wear it. What happens can vary in severity.”

Jerry started to worry. If it was that dangerous, then it was not as simple as yes. So, he asked,

“Can it be fatal?”

Mictoria shrugged and looked sad.

“There have been fatalities over the years, raw affinity can truly be dangerous,” She looked close to tears as she continued, “Yet, if my people weren’t in perilous danger, I would never ask this of you.”

Jerry stared at her for but a moment before he said, “If it means, we have a better chance at saving people, then yes.”

Mictoria looked almost surprised at his answer, but warmth returned to her eyes.

“You are a brave man, Nísir, thank you.”

Jerry just smiled.

A moment passed before Mictoria pointed to the stones in the box as she said,

“The quickest way to test the idea, is for you to touch these stones. Start with lesser and work up from there. For us, the lesser of an affinity stone we are not used to has an immediate strong tingling feeling. An unknown greater cause pain and freeze our skin off within minutes and a grand without an attuned lesser and greater… breaks the bones in our hands within ten seconds, sometimes it can lead to worse things. So are you sure, Nísir Jerry?”

Jerry gulped.

For a moment fear fell into the pit of his stomach, but he pushed through it and in a cracked voice, said,

“Y-es.”