NOVEL WEB (Chapter 3) Surge
The cart continued moving for hours as I could hear storms baring down upon us. Wind whistled and rain pelted the sides of the cart with furious rage, all the while I was left to enjoy sitting in a warm space. Now in clean clothes, albeit several sizes too large thanks to how skinny I was. I felt clean for the first time in months, and full for the first time in years. So much so that I couldn't even finish the entire meal given to me.
I was still surprised by how lavish the cart was. I could hardly feel a bump in the road as it kept moving, yet I couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep. I could feel anxiety eating away at me each passing moment. What would happen in the coming days? What chance did i have to survive? I sighed internally as these thoughts kept me tossing and turning. Eventually my eyes settled on the mirror on the opposite side from my bed.
The clothes I now wore were far from lavish, if anything they were the rags a peasants garb would be made of. Yet they were clean, new clothes far better than the tattered rags that sat in pieces in the now disgusting bucket of water. My hair was still stained black from ash and soot, not that I bothered trying to wash it any. The only piece of note from the garb I had been given was the color, it was all a strange, soft green. And incredibly soft, almost akin to wool or linen, yet far more durable than such. It was, peculiar that I had been given something so seemingly nice.
As the night dragged on I could hear a gentle creaking, the wind and rain had stopped just a few moments ago. Sitting up slowly I could hear presumably Darek walking around to the back of the cart. There was a soft knock for a moment before the door opened, and he offered another tell tale soft smile.
"Come here for a moment, I think you will wish to see this." He offered a hand out to invite me out of the cart. I sat still for a few moments, questioning what was happening before I obliged and stood up. My legs felt weak under me, shaking as if they couldn't hold my weight anymore. But with a steadying breath I forced them to straighten and bring me outside.
"What in the world would you want to show me out here?... I thought I was just a prisoner still." I spoke slowly as I stepped shakily out of the cart. Darek stood near to me, just in case I did decide to run. Though I knew I couldn't get far so it never really crossed my mind for more than an instant.
"You are a prisoner, but also a human who hasn't seen the sky for a long, long time. At least not the night sky, and not the burning sun high above. Besides, tonight is a special night. Look that way." Darek spoke softly, reaching a hand out he pointed towards the clouds still standing in the distance.
A brilliant golden haze sat in the clouds, streaks flashing side to side that were every color of the rainbow. It was like stars were falling from the sky, the brilliant glow ignited the sky in a haze that caused the clouds to slowly part. My eyes shined, utterly awestruck by the brilliant view.
The shower of stars continued to pelt the line of clouds until they began to separate apart slowly, moonlight shimmering through with its luminous blue hue igniting across the soft green grass and harsh brown mud underfoot. The orange autumn leaves still hanging in the trees began blowing around as a otherworldly gust of wind began blast across the field with a echoing boom shattering my hearing and leaving me dazed for a moment as I fell backwards landing on my rear.
The wind continued to blow my hair violently around as I could only smile. I had little to no understanding of what I just saw, all I could do was understand one thing. It was a sort of event I could do little to comprehend. A sort of power that stung my mind and left my heart racing. Finally as the light show faded away and the dim black night sky slowly got overtaken by cruel black clouds once more I let out a breath I hadn't known I had been holding.
"What, was that?..." I eventually stuttered out as my mind reeled itself back together from its scattered remnants after observing the spectacle.
"That was a mana surge. A rather rare spectacle, and one I'm sure you enjoyed." Darek stated, sighing softly as he rolled his shoulders. "A mana surge is something most are lucky to see once in their life, albeit, you never want to be caught in or near one. As you could see from one so mild, and it still blew you off your feet." He reached over, offering a hand to me, lifting me up with ease given my frail body.
"What... Causes a mana surge?" I found myself growing more intrigued with this abnormal sort of weather. I had never even heard of such a thing before.
"There are, various things that could cause one. Some mages are strong enough that their death may cause a mana surge, or even their spells. However wild ones such as this are usually formed from powerful beasts, or merely a part of the natural cycle. It is always hard to tell with these things, but with how it split the storm cloud apart I would place my bet upon the latter over the former. Heavy storms albeit rarely, have been found to become wild mana surges." Darek explained slowly, I found myself nodding along as I tried to take in all the information in. He simply smiled, chuckling softly.
"Are all mana surges so... Spectacular?" I continued to berate him with questions as quick as he answered them. My mind was running wild from the adrenaline of seeing such a brilliant sight, and my heart was still racing faster than even my mind could run.
"Hmm, in my experience, no. Most are not. They are dreadfully common over battlefields, and when you are caught in one you may as well be standing upon the gates of hell. As I said that was a mild mana surge, a violent one could see lightning bolts the size of mountains flattening entire fields, or firestorms so hot it leaves deserts turned to glass. This truly was an exceptionally calm one, hence why I wished to show it to you." Darek answered my question with ease, his smile never faded for a moment before he let out a very gentle sigh.
"How refreshing it can be to talk to a curious mind... Now, lets be on with it. You should find yourself some rest while you can. Tomorrow will be a long day, and I wish for you to sit at the front with me. To show you what Berinia truly is, a truly, beautiful land." Darek turned as he spoke, bringing me back towards the cart.
"Thank you... I know I've said it a thousand times but thank you... For being human where no one else was..." I spoke with a low tone, my body was screaming with exhaustion, the adrenaline rush of the spectacle had drained any little remaining energy I had left clean out of my body. And now all I wanted to do was sleep, even if it meant being a day closer to a potential execution. Today had been a good day.
I willingly entered into the cart again, there was no way I could fight, and I had no wish to do so either. All I truly wanted to do was rest, and so I found myself wandering over to the small cot hanging off of the wall, the soft padding and the single blanket more than enough for me as I found myself drifting away the moment I closed my eyes. - So quickly in fact that I didn't even hear the door lock shut moments after my head hit the bed, Darek locking it from the outside. My mind still wandering eventually settled, a horrible memory, a horrible nightmare that always relived itself day, after day. Night, after night.