The Calamity: Chapter 7

“So how old are you two kids?”

The question was being asked over bread, gravy, and sweet tea. The trio of travelers were sitting at an open table enjoying a breakfast. The bread was warm and fresh, the tea was sweet and the gravy even had some sausage in it. The twins were attacking it ravenously as if they hadn’t eaten in days. Considering the state, he found them he wouldn’t have doubted it.

They had slept entirely through the night and most of the morning. The twins would have slept longer but Vincent had woken them up. They grumbled back and forth but the mention of food had spurred the two to action. A proper warm meal was more than enough motivation.

“We’re 22.” Alistair said as he looked at him before taking another chunk of bread and dunking it in the gravy. It was warm and savory and filled his stomach.

“So don’t call us kids.” Alison nodded sipping her tea until she emptied the cup. Reaching for the pitcher she poured another full cup. “What about you. You don’t look that old.”

He rolled his eyes at the two of them reaching into his back pocket. Taking out a flask he poured some of the contents into the cup. He held it around his nose for a moment and sipped it as he glanced at them. “I’m 24.”

“See.”

“Not that old at all.”

“Nope.”

The twins smiled for a moment shaking their heads. He sighed softly running his fingers through his hair. The lanky orange hair had absolutely no luster, favoring a rust color inside the inn. There were a few other patrons inside mostly waking up or coming in for coffee and conversation.

“What are you two going to do once you’re in the free city?” he asked.

They exchanged looks for a moment, wondering how much to actually tell him. But they were trusting him to get them this far. They might as well give him that much. “We’re looking for a teacher. Me more than my brother. To better understand and control my magic.”

“Have you never had a teacher beforehand?”

“Not really. A few books here and there but never a person. It’s all self-taught.” Alistair told him.

He nodded slowly, a bit impressed what he’d seen so far coming from them.

“So, the Free City. What’s it like? We’ve only heard rumors.” Alison said looking at Vincent. “How do we become members of the city? What would we have to do?”

Vincent rubbed his jaw and sighed. “Well for starters you don’t have to do anything to enter. You can just walk in and stay as long as your able. The city won’t kick you out unless you break the rules.”

“What are the rules then?” she continued.

Vincent held up a finger as he looked at them. “First, don’t kill. You can fight. You can talk shit. You can do a lot of things. But you can’t kill within the city itself. You wanna do that take it outside.”

“What happens if there’s a murder? Are there any murders in the city?”

“Sometimes. But when there are, if we don’t find them the city will. And let’s just say you don’t want to be that guy.”

“What do you mean the city will find them?” Alistair asked looking up from his third piece of bread.

Vincent shrugged his shoulders. “No idea. Maybe it’s magic. The city might be alive. Who knows? If you break the rules there’s consequences.”

“Alright. Then what’re the other rules?” Alistair asked.

He held up a second finger. “If you’re going to live in the city you have to contribute. Work, join the gang, become a trader. Something. We’re the Free City but it’s not free to be there. You have to do something to help the city continue to exist. If not you’ll eventually get kicked out.”

Alison rolled her eyes, “Let me guess. The city will do it.”

He pointed at her. “Bingo.”

She nodded. “Then what’s the other rule.”

“That’s really all for now. There’s some rules that are group and region specific but even I don’t know them all.”

The twins glanced at one another and nodded together. It sounded just as good as they imagined if not better in certain instances. “How far away are we from the city?” Alison asked.

“About a day’s ride from here. Well at least we would be if we all had horses. Without them at least three days. Maybe more. I didn’t see any places to get a horse either so we might be stuck on that front.”

Alistair cleared his throat for a second and smiled. “I can keep up with a horse.”

The Rogue stared at him, the earnest belief in his face and shook his head finally. “I’ll bite. How?”

“Me and my sister are mages. She’s a traditional mage and I’m more of a physical mage. I can augment my body.”

“Like when you attacked me with those claws.”

“Exactly. So, trust me, I can carry my sister and run at the right speed.” He said confidently.

He glanced between the twins, both of them optimistic and smiling at him. He wasn’t sure what to do with all of this optimism. It was intoxicating in some ways. “Alright I’ll get this out of the way now. What’s the deal with you?”

He was looking at Alistair and the twin’s smile faltered on his feminine face. He glanced at the table frowning. It was a question he was used to getting asked but it was never one he was good with answering. He knew his sister was always ready to speak up for him but he squeezed her hand under the table.

“That’s my sister and my twin. But being a girl like her, always felt like an act. That I wasn’t me. It was my sister who helped me figure it out.” He frowned looking down. “I look like my sister on the outside but on the inside, I’m a guy.” He smiled saying that for a moment. “So, my sisters been trying to help me work on making the outside match the inside.”

“What do you mean outside match the inside?”

He looked at his sister. She nodded and ran her fingers against the other. Pointing at him a tiny spark of magic flowed down her fingers. It flew towards her brother and suddenly his features changed almost entirely. Vincent’s eyes widened as he watched the process happen. “What the hell?”

“Magic.” Alistair said and the depth of his voice shocked him even more. The magic faded and his face returned to the exact mirror of his sisters. “I’m learning to do the same but it’s not as easy for me.”

“Practice makes perfect.” Alison added.

Vincent raised his cup and sipped from it again. “Alright. I can get on board with this.” He pointed at the two of them. “So boy,” he pointed at Alistair, “and girl” he said pointing at Alison. “Got it.”

They nodded a little put off mainly because they hadn’t excepted it to be that simple or easy. Everyone had their hang ups on it. Even their grandmothers had struggled with it when they tried to explain it to them. At the end of the day they didn’t really convince them. It just got ignored. At least they called him by his chosen name.

They finished eating the last of the breakfast, cleaning up the entirety of the gravy and drinking the very last drop of the tea. Once completely taken care of they walked together toward the stables. Blaze was there waiting for the three of them munching on grains. As Vincent saddled his horse the twins stayed out to talk.

“Think we finally got lucky?” Alison asked from her brother’s shoulders.

“I think we did. Or at the very least we got a break.” He said softly. “He seems like a nice enough guy.”

“Nice is a word for him.”

“You don’t think so?” He asked glancing at her.

“I do. But maybe it’s niceness out of circumstances. Like he’s doing it because it coincides with what he’s doing.”

Alistair made a noise and thought for a second. “I can’t fault that line of thinking. We’re lucky he’s helping us at all.”

“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth huh?”

“Not unless you want it to spit at you.”

“I’m sure Blaze wouldn’t do that. Blaze is a good boy.”

The horse in question came forward bumping his head against Alistair’s head. He laughed facing the horse and stroked his head. Alison did the same much to the enjoyment of the beast. “Don’t be too nice to him. He gets spoiled and expects it after a while.” Vince said pulling the horse by his handlebar reins.

“Why does he have handlebars and pipes?” Alison asked fully looking at the mount.

“Because Boss likes it. And the material is gentle on Blaze. Doesn’t hurt him as much as a traditional saddle. Isn’t that right Blaze?” The horse threw his head back and he smirked.

“Does that mean yes?” Alistair whispered to which his sister laughed shrugging her shoulders.

“It means I know my horse.” Stepping onto the stirrup he swung his leg over and into place. Blaze snorted in return shuffling back and forth ready to go.

In the morning proper with the sun out there was more life in the city. There were merchants shouting out with their wares. People shopping, flowers arranged to be sold or smiths with their jobs for the day. This was a trade town through and through. They knew being this close to the Free City meant there would be some run over trade. Not enough to expand but enough to keep themselves afloat.

At the outskirts of the town they stopped as Alison floated off her brother. He shook his shoulders out slowly and cracked his neck. Vincent leaned on the handlebars watching the twin. His magic came to life on his legs. He sat down letting his legs elongate and stretch, his bones moving underneath to accompany what the changes he was forcing. After only a few seconds his legs had become digitigrade and long like that of a wolf or a goat.

He hoped to his feet bouncing on them slowly to get accustomed to the new balance. With his new legs, he stood almost at the same height as Vincent while on the horse. Vincent shivered after watching the episode but didn’t comment. Alison floated onto his back hooking her arms around his neck.

“Lead the way Vince,” Alistair said pointing ahead of them.

Spurring on his horse they started forward at a nice even pace. Alistair kept up with just long strides provided by the transformation. His chest and neck was bent slightly to keep his pace slightly. Vincent watched him and then nodded kicking up the pace, Blaze breaking into a run.

Alistair moved with him and started sprinting alongside him. Each step was met on the same clip as Blaze’s gallop. He was sort of hopping with each step clearing several feet with each step. Pumping his arms for balance he focused on his stride while his sister kept track of his breathing.

This was how they covered most of the distance whenever they had to run. The first time he tried this he could barely keep his own pace and had fallen all over himself before crashing into the ground in a mess of his own limbs. But practice makes perfect. It had been his sisters favorite phrase for years.

The weather stayed clear above them and between the sun above them and the breeze kept him from overheating much during the journey. His sister’s eyes were a glow watching the environment change around them. They ran the dirt path with rolling hills of pale green. There were clumps of trees in the that merged into a large forest. There were single trees dotted here and there with flowers sprouting on the ground in beautiful whites and yellows.

Vincent road relaxed on Blaze’s back steering the horse along the road. The few people she’d seen riding or leading horses always had a level of stress to them. Like they didn’t trust the horses they were riding and were constantly worried about what their animals would do. But between the two of them was a friendship.

“Hey I thought you two didn’t have anything when you left home!” Vincent shouted over the wind between them.

“We didn’t. Just the clothes on our backs!” Alison shouted back.

“So then how did you pay for the hotel room!”

She giggled and wiggled her fingers at him. “Magic can do a lot of things. I only gave her a few rocks but they looked like real money!”

Vincent shook his head at her words. “I’d advise you not to do that once we’re at the city!”

They rode for the better part of a few hours, the sun moving the shadows beneath their feet. The air had grown warm to hot, the sun’s rays a constant glare instead of just an additional source of comfort. And the ground was transitioning, The grass drying up to open dry fields.

Something had caught her eye earlier and had only gotten worse since they’d gone. She frowned trying to focus on it, whatever the dust was in the distance. At first, she thought it was just the wind across the road but it hadn’t gotten smaller and the sky was under control. Granted it was behind a hill so maybe she was seeing things wrong but it still nagged at her regardless.

“Vince do you see that?” Alison asked pointing to their left towards the dust.

Vincent looked in that direction and frowned. He reached into the saddlebag whipping out a map. Alison watched him curiously as his face turned from confusion to a mix of frustration for a second. He pointed at the dust. “We’re making a detour. Come on both of you!”

He spurred Blaze further and then steered him off the path and onto the grass. Alistair a little confused he turned and leaped after them catching up. He was very much aware of the ground and trying to avoid anything that would trip him up. “What do you see over there?”

Vincent scowled to himself at the question. “There’s a raid going on. That stuff you see isn’t dust. It’s smoke. The crew that uses that stuff goes too far and gives us a bad reputation. I’m getting involved this time around.”

They crested the hill and the sight wasn’t good. There were two caravans, one on fire and one turned over. The raiders were circling them with their horses shouting and taunting the people trapped within. There were five people, two adults and three children using the other as a barrier.

There were about seven of them circling around waving weapons around. Alistair watched them and he felt his blood boil slightly. He’d seen that look on people’s faces before. When Norian soldiers came through and razed villages for not meeting their taxes. The fear those people felt and the coldness that the soldiers looked at them.

“We’re stopping this.” He said simply and Alison nodded her head.

Vincent glanced at them for a moment and then nodded quickly. “Glad you’re on board. Alison what kind of magic can you pull off in the realm of hurting people?”

She raised her hands and her eyes glowed blue bordering on white. She pulled away from her brother’s shoulders floating off the ground. “I can handle myself back here.”

He nodded and glanced at Alistair for a moment. “The goal is save those people above all else.”

“I already planned on it.”

“Then let’s get to it.”

Vincent spurred Blaze forward as he rode down the hill. Leaning forward Alistair sprinted down alongside him before splitting off to tackle a different half. Alistair leaped at a horse and rider. The man was mid turn his smile turning to one of confusion. He went leg first kicking the man from his saddle and on the ground.

Skidding across the ground he raised his head as a pair of horsemen came riding at him, swinging their swords. Before they could get to him ice raced across the ground covering them and their horses. They collapsed in a tangle of frozen and limbs but riding over them came the man he’d kicked off.

He was swinging his sword with some battle cry issuing from his lips. Crouching he dashed at him. The sword swung and he blocked with a magically enhanced arm and kicked his foot through his chest. Both he and the man’s eyes were wide in shock. Swinging back, he got his leg from within the man’s chest, his own rising and falling rapidly.

Whirling around he focused because the ground was shaking underneath his feet. Another horseman was coming this time with a bow. An arrow whizzed past barely missing him. The horse charged straight at him and he jumped out of the way stumbling.

The rider came back for a second run and his sword caught him on the shoulder. Crying out he glared at the horseman as he came back with an arrogant smirk on his face as if he was in a bad position. But he was never defenseless.

Digging his hand into the sand he scooped out a handful and launched it at the horse. It screamed stumbling and swerving sharply dragging its rider across the ground before rolling loose. Manipulating his fingers into claws he came forward and stabbed the man in the chest. He watched him die and it wasn’t any easier the second time around.

Ignoring the pain in his shoulder he tried to get his bearings. Walking toward the sand he tried feeling out where he was and ended up running into the caravan. Following around the sides of it he found the front and was face to face with the captive family. Wide eyed terror was on their face and he held up his own hands.

“It’s okay. I’m here to help you. My friend and I are going to get you out of here.” They stared at him shocked and scared not understanding entirely but the father nodded slowly toward him. There was an explosion slightly off from them making them all flinch away at the sound.

“Stay here. I’ll find you a way out.” He turned around with narrowed eyes through the dust. It was fading away and he could make out the shapes of the other riders that were still out there. One horseman came past him with an axe raised up. He ran straight at them and jumped over him and landed on his back.

The bandit tried to half turn and swing the axe at him but it was an awkward swing and an awkward dodge. Stumbling back and forth between them the horse slowed down stomping back and forth in the dust confused at the conflict on its back. The bandit slammed his elbow into Alistair’s nose dazing him for a moment and readying another swing.

Using the pain to focus and ignore the blood running down his mouth he slammed his forehead against the bandit’s face. With a shove, he pushed him off the horse and smirked grabbing the reins. He pulled and turned the horse around and sent it back toward the family. Hopping off it he handed the reins to the father. “Go. Get your family out of here.”

“They’re trying to get away!”

Two more bandits were on their way with murder in their eyes. Vincent came out of nowhere his gun raised.  He fired four times, two bullets in each of them and knocking them off their horses. Pulling Blaze up beside them he pointed with his gun, the dust clearing.

“Go. The way is safe.” He said and nodded toward Alistair.

“Our caravan. It’s our way of life. Without it we have nothing.” The father said as he motioned to the one still in one piece. Vincent frowned and circled around it slowly inspecting it best he could. The kids had red eyes and looked like they had long since cried themselves into silence.

Alison floated down from her position and looked at her brother. He had a bloody face and shoulder which brought sounds of worry from her. She touched his shoulder and he flinched slightly. He forced a bloody smile at her. “Not bad huh?”

She wasn’t smiling at him, instead severely glaring. “Take care of yourself moron. I only have one brother.” She said shaking slightly. He frowned and hugged his sister with his unhurt arm and nodded. She nodded slowly still upset but hugged him back.

“The caravan is in one piece. Unfortunately, we can’t exactly turn it over.” Vincent said. “Maybe we can try and push it if you muscle up.” He looked at Alistair.

“Not with my arm the way it is.”  Pressing a hand to his shoulder he grunted and glanced at his sister. “But you might be able to.”

The suggestion made her look at the overturned cart. She floated towards it slowly the family making way for her. Mages weren’t exactly the favorites of the Sanctum. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t help the people that she did run into. Her eyes glowed again and she raised her hands.

It wasn’t simple nor was it easy. The cart was heavy, heavier than she initially imagined. But it began to budge under her command. A shiver here, a budge there. Soon it began to shift and push backwards. She lowered her arms and grunted as she began to lift. It tilted on its wheels.

The strain was visible on her face as she continued to push trying to force the caravan over. With a final push and a shout, it moved back onto its wheels wobbling back and forth before settling in place. She was panting and even sank from the air onto her legs and then collapsed onto the ground.

Alistair was at her side without her needing to say something. His arm was around her shoulder, helping her to sit up. She had a nose bleed and her eyes closed tightly. The family on the other hand was shocked at what they saw. The father looked it all over, making sure it was truly in one piece and even able to be pulled.

The children stared at Alison as she came around and wiped her nose slowly. Seeing the blood, she frowned but at the sight of the caravan a smile formed. “Hey I did it.” She said feeling a little dizzy.

“Good job sis.” He started to say but his eyes widened. She noted his expression and looked at her hand. There were bright blue veins pulsating. She hid it quickly wincing in pain but she met his gaze with fear. His face softened to the pure mirror of his sisters, her magic dropping.

Vincent pulled up beside them equally astonished by what he watched happen. Nodding he motioned to each of them, “I’m going to round up a few horses. You guys take a breather. Good work by the way,” The rogue did just that finding a few horses that hadn’t been hurt and also hadn’t fled too far away.

Once the family was set, the horses were ready to pull the caravan with them to safety. Blaze shuffled back and forth as Vincent slid off the horses back, holding the reins of another horse. Walking to them he smiled. “Can’t say I’m not impressed by you two. You’d make great Rogues.”

The twins exchanged a glance, the possibility never crossing under either’s radars. “Don’t let it go to your head. Come on.” He smirked and passed the reins to Alistair and motioned to the dark horse.

“That’s yours now, at least until we get to the city. Keep him, sell him, eat him. Don’t care. He’s yours to do with.” Mounting Blaze again he waited for the twins to mount the docile horse and lead them. “The City is close. You can sleep. Blaze will lead your horse so you don’t get lost.”

It was late afternoon, the sun still hanging in the sky but the mere notion of a rest took it out of them. The twins were already leaning on their new mounts neck and dozing off before he finished speaking. “Good Rogues indeed.”