At long last, Therelin went to the shops of Saanazar in search of a sword. He brought Kren along, though Kren was not much of a warrior. They perused two smithies and an arms stall in the market before Kren found one he assured Therelin was a reasonable deal. Purchase in hand, Therelin uncomfortably fastened it to his belt. He tried to ignore it, and move on, but Kren also purchased an oil and a whetstone so Therelin could learn to care for his blade. Therelin also reluctantly agreed that they ought to occasionally train with the weapon, too.
Maia noticed the sword when Therelin and Kren joined her at a tavern for lunch. She raised her eyebrow and said, “Never thought I’d see a blade in your belonging.”
“Neither did I,” Therelin replied with a sign of resignation.
A young barmaid came to their table for their order. The chef had prepared two dishes today; Therelin chose the vegetable stew, while Kren favoured the salted pork. Once they were alone again, Maia asked, “Is it true there are no swords on Keth?”
Therelin blinked and lowered his mead. “There might be swords, but no one really has a need for them. They’d be kept secret—wouldn’t want to be caught with one.”
“What about with the war?” Kren asked. “Kedar Port fell a long time ago—and that’s just around the corner.”
This had long been weighing on Therelin’s mind. “The Ketho wouldn’t defend themselves. Even from some pirate fleet—it would just be seen as the natural changing of the world. I often worry for my home.”
Kren waved a hand. “I doubt the bandits would do much harm, if the Ketho don’t resist.”
Therelin knew the Ketho also would not even care if they were taken advantage of, but—with his wider perspective of the world—Therelin would hate to see such a thing occur.
It was Maia who noticed his concern. “I think we’re all worried for our homes, these days.”
Therelin nodded and forced a smile.
“Where are you from, Maia?” Kren asked.
“I’m from a small town not far from Saanazar—Elinoss,” she said, and took a sip of her drink. “I still have family over there, but I moved in with my grandfather right after my gifts were discovered. Saanazar feels more like home, than anywhere else.”
To his surprise, Therelin felt a pang of envy at this. He had lost the place that felt like home by venturing out. Now, it seemed, no place felt like home. “What did that fee—how did that transition—”
“The transition? To Saanazar? I missed my parents, mostly,” Maia said. “But I can visit them when I want. And slowly I made friends here. My mentors helped a lot, too.”
Therelin realized how different his own circumstances were—a physical and cultural divide had grown wide between himself and Keth. He didn’t imagine an earnest visit home would go very well. But he also realized that he was making friends—and that that did help.
“You’re right in the middle of that, aren’t you?” Maia asked, touching Therelin’s hand.
“Very much so,” Therelin replied. “Keth is no longer home for me, but I have yet to find anything resembling home beyond the friends I’ve made.”
“It can be hard.”
Kren offered his support too. “It gets easier,” he said. “At least for me, I haven’t really had a home in several years, but the people around you become your home.”
Just then, the barmaid returned with their meals. It was a warm and filling meal, and the company was grand. After they had finished—and paid—the trio set out for the Hall of Three Winds.
When he saw them, Master Nolicrin waved a letter in the air. “Got another one!” he called and led them into his study.
They had already received word from a magician that called the Eye of Maga home. The far-off city had a respect for magicians that made it unique as far as cities went—and at least the writer of the letter assured them that all would be welcome to meet there. A second letter had come soon after: this one from a small town deep in the forests of Radregar. Delen Wood, the shrine in question, was interested in hosting Therelin, his friends, and any others in need.
“This time, we’ve heard from Tempest Tower. I had hoped we would,” Nolicrin said as he showed them the page.
“That’s just across Tieko’s Deep!” Kren explained. The nearby sea branched off from the Grey Sea and divided East Radregar from West.
“What’s Tempest Tower?” Therelin asked.
“If Saanazar is the go-to place for academic magicians, Tempest Tower is the go-to for warrior magicians,” Nolicrin explained. “They are more selective with the apprentices they accept—for good reason—and they offer those that earn their respect some abilities that are difficult to learn anywhere else.”
Therelin raised his eyebrows.
“What did they say in the letter?” Kren asked.
The short master held the document out once more, and Kren grabbed it. Nolicrin went on to sum it up: “They’ve been providing safe haven for magicians since the attack on the Isle, but are interested in knowing how else they can help. A few others have already started meeting there. With many magicians still hiding in Noress-That-Was or Saanazar they agree that we need a proper replacement for the Isle of Dusk—at least temporarily.”
“It sounds promising,” Therelin said.
“Do they have conditions?” Kren questioned. “Do we care?”
“They just said that we could join those who are already meeting there,” Nolicrin said. “I don’t think we’d be planning this whole thing anymore, but I’m sure there are ways to help out.”
“As much as I was hoping that we would be in charge of something like this…” Therelin mused thoughtfully, “I still think that this is our best option.” He wanted to see a place more neutral than the Isle of Dusk for his brothers and sisters to meet—but right now, their survival was more important than the politics.
Nolicrin nodded, but looked at Therelin inquisitively. “Will you go there, then?”
Therelin paced the room quietly, remembering the day that Nolicrin had sent him away with magic. He looked toward the balcony under which he had heard—illicitly—his first sample of what this world would be. Then he remembered the mayhem in Tarro’s wake—the magicians falling to his unseen projectiles. “Yes, I think so,” Therelin decided. “Can I count on your advice and help, when needed?”
“I don’t see why not,” Nolicrin responded. “If any magicians come my way, I will send them your way.”
“Great,” Therelin murmured, nodding. “Thank you.”
As they wandered out of the Hall, Therelin and Kren began discussing whether it would be better to venture there in reality or to Journey there with magic. Kren figured they might as well Journey, so long as they aimed for arriving nearby, not inside the Tower surrounded by surprised magicians.
“So, you’ll be leaving soon?” Maia asked, when she could sneak in a word.
“In the next couple days,” Therelin said. He felt, for a moment, like he was losing one of the friends that had started making him feel more at home, but he couldn’t put all of it into words. “It’s unfortunate to be leaving you so soon again,” he managed.
“I was thinking I might come along, if you both would allow it?” Maia asked. “I’m tired of waiting for the war to come to my home, especially after hearing from you two—I can’t pretend it’s not.”
“We’d love to have you,” Therelin murmured, relieved.
“We would?!” Kren gasped, incredulously. Then he winked at Maia. “We would.”
“I’ll need to break the news to Master Nolicrin,” Maia blurted. “And my grandfather. If you could delay a few more days, I should probably bid farewell to my parents, too. I can’t assure you how long I’ll stay away though—I’ll miss this place.”
“I understand that,” Therelin said, though he didn’t quite. He could sympathize, but empathizing would require him to have any place he missed. And right now, with a tool for killing on his belt, he just felt adrift in the world.