Azarei's Quest

Chapter Four

Azarei wasn't used to travelling with a companion, but it seemed like the elf wasn't either. When Azarei travelled alone the silence that constantly accompanied him felt like a welcome friend, wrapping around his brain and silencing all the things he didn't want to think about. It silenced his thoughts all together, until there was nothing left but peace. Well, maybe not peace. Void might be a better word, a lack of thoughts.

The silence that fell when Azarei and Utia set off in the early morning to make their way towards Terlin Mountain was the opposite of friendly. It was, dare he say, unfriendly. It was an iron fist squeezing his heart and lungs until he felt light headed, the silence no longer brought him any comfort. In fact all he felt was discomfort.

"Where were you headed before?" Azarei asked, glancing at Utia as they made their way down the stone road. He had to say something, the silence was unbearable.

"What's it to you?" Utia asked, with a little hostility in her voice.

A corner of Azarei's mouth lifted in an amused smile. "Just making conversation, it's a long journey you know. We have to talk eventually."

Utia remained silent for a few more moments, seemingly in protest of this fact. She puffed up her cheeks and let out a long breath. "South," she said.

"South?"

"South," she confirmed.

Azarei watched her, waiting for her to elaborate. "Where in the south."

A corner of her mouth tilted slightly down presumably in irritation. "I didn't have a destination in mind. Just south. I hate the cold."

Azarei turns his attention back to the road in front of them, saying nothing. They were headed north now, towards the mountain. Towards not only the cold but also snow. She doesn't like the cold but she agreed to travel north with him, where it's freezing year round and there's never less than a foot of snow on the ground. What does that mean?

They lapsed into silence again and Azarei went back to feeling like he was being suffocated, the air slowly being drained from his lungs. He'd never really had a problem making conversation with people before now. He'd even been called charming on occasion. A half-orc, charming, imagine that.

Azarei racked his brain for something to talk about but most of the 'get to know you' questions he didn't want to bring up because he didn't want to answer them himself. The last thing he wanted to do was think about his past. Though he's not even sure Utia would reciprocate a question, she doesn't seem to have much interest in him. Her eyes never stray to him and her face is completely impassive.

"So what made you want to become a thief?" Azarei asked conversationally.

Utia looked at him now, a rather horrified look on her face. "I am not a thief."

"You tried to rob me," he pointed out. "That was yesterday. Yesterday you tried to rob me."

Utia narrowed her eyes and turned her face forward, tilting her chin up in defiance. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"You were desperate for my backpack full of dirty clothes and moldy food?"

"I was that desperately bored," Utia said around a grin. "And I was hoping you'd have something good to eat. I was feeling snacky."

"Ah," Azarei hummed, a bright smile lighting up his features. "I get it. So you're not a thief, you were just feeling snacky. So you, you know, tried to steal my things at dagger point." Azarei glanced at her. "Which of course there's nothing wrong with."

"Glad we agree," Utia said with a smirk. The cockiness faded from her face and a thoughtful expression took over. "How did you do that thing? How did you throw all those nuts at me without using your hands? Did you hit the tree and they fell?"

"I charmed them to attack you," Azarei said with a slight smile at the amusing memory.

Utia frowned. "But you didn't pull out a wand."

"I don't need a wand," Azarei boasted. "If you're powerful enough you can perform magic without ever using an instrument."

Instead of looking impressed like Azarei had hoped Utia looked unsettled. "So, what? You're just this mega powerful wizard? How old are you?" She turns her head, analyzing him. "Shouldn't you be training at the college or something?"

"Dropped out."

"Why?"

Azarei only shrugged in reply. He didn't want to get into details. It was the summer before his last year of college when his heart turned to ash. He never went back to finish his degree. How could he?

"Do you have a favorite spell?" Utia asked after a long period of more excruciating silence.

Azarei took a moment to contemplate. "I think my favorite spell is Invoci," he says slowly.

"What's that do?"

"It's a really powerful healing spell. Could heal a torn gut in a matter of minutes, powerful. Most people can't pull it off." Azarei's face slipped into a sly smile. "I never really use it for that purpose though. Sometimes I happen upon a thicket of sick trees or a meadow that's been killed by drought. That's when I bring it out."

"Aren't there nature spells for that?" Utia asks, making a face.

"There are," Azarei confirmed. "Using Invoci is totally unnecessary overkill but I do it anyway because I can and it's faster."

Utia peers at Azarei from the side of her eye. "Show off," she muttered.

"Who am I showing off for?" Azarei asked, laughing. "I travel alone."

"Yourself," she said bluntly. "Which is even worse than showing off for someone else." She glanced his way again. "Kind of pathetic if you ask me."

Azarei was very well aware she was insulting him but his heart was beating rapidly and pixies were flying throughout his stomach all the same. What is wrong with him?