Sci Fi & Fantasy / The History of Htrae
The Potion
In the world of Htrae, there are humans and other things. Trolls, dwarves, elves, fairies, werewolves, seers, wizards, dragons, and more. The year now is one hundred twenty-nine for the time is anew and things have settled. At least that is what it seems.
In the Land of Valisania in the Nation of Arick, in a village sometime from the kingdom called Sagage lurked a sorcerer, named Earth. His beard came a bit past his breast and his hair tailed down his back to his waist. His robes were gold and dragged the floor as he turned back to his cauldron.
The room was lit by a candle sitting in one of the six scones lining the wall around the room. There was a fire blazing as the cauldron boiled and Earth drop a limp root into the seaweed green water. He threw his beard over his shoulder for the thousandth time it seemed and turned back to his podium where he read the instructions,
The Relivfishing Potion
Spiders Skin
Boiled bone
The feather of a Red Falcon
Limp root
Add Spiders Skin to a boiling cauldron and let simmer for three hours. Then add the essence or boiled bone and stir into the potion, counter clockwise. Once this had been, done add the feather of the red falcon and let potion come to a boil until a seaweed green, then add limp root. Once limp root is added let potion boil for three minutes, not any shorter or longer, before adding it to vial for use. Also be cautious for it is explosive and is to be used in only certain…
“’Situations.” the Sorcerer murmured. “Used for defensive reasons only.” he ended and waited, counting slowly in his head. When the potion was finished, he added it to thirteen different vials and added them to a shelf of other potions of other colors that lined the wall. He turned as a loud, thumping ring through the walls.
Turning he walked out a door, opposite the fire and swept across the floor to open a second door. A man that looked almost the same as Earth himself, only his robes were maroon and outline in what looked to be silver stars. He shoved past Earth and over to an armchair opposite a dead fireplace, sitting down. Earth closed the door firmly behind him and went to sit diagonal of the other sorcerer, who waved a hand at the fireplace and it exploded into flames.
Looking at the fire, Earth raised an eyebrow before turning and asking, “Plan on staying awhile, Falavas?”
“Somewhat or something like that,” the elf said. “However,” he began as he rubbed his hands over an ear and they became pointed, “We should catch up, Earth.”
“Very well,” Earth said, standing and going over to the mantle, poured two glasses of a clear brown liquid, and gave a glass to Falavas before returning to his seat. “So tell me Falavas, how do things go in the Kingdom of the Elves?”
“Good, good,” the elf replied, “and here?”
“It,” Earth began but silenced when the elf raced a hand.
“Before we get to business, I must ask how you been personally?”
“Good, good. I am getting quite old though if you cannot tell and also your age is beginning to affect you,” Earth said, gesturing to the elves silver beard.
“Ah,” Falavas said, tugging his beard. “Well it comes time for us elves to pass and mine is not that far off.”
“I see, I see,” Earth said, nodding. “I have two hundred years until my passing and you?”
“About the same,” Falavas said. The fire crackled and spit ashes into the air as the two sorcerers took a drink from their glasses.
“So tell me,” Earth ask, “where do we start?”
“Well as you know as a Collective, I must turn my knowledge over to one more notable with things and take full responsibility of the Kingdom. Golden, an elf lady, shall assume my post.” Falavas said. Then he tugged his hands inside his robes and pulled out a golden locket and popped it open, “Well, she should be arriving—
Plump, plump, plump, the knocks came and Earth waved a hand at the door and it flew ajar and a tall light brown skinned lady, with a hooked nose, and long black hair trailing past her shoulders, she stepped through the archway and closed the door behind her. There was a boom and a blue flash of light passed across the room as the rain began to fall outside.
“You are right on time, Madam Golden,” Falavas said.
“I tend not to be to early or late,” the elf woman said. “I do not want to appeal as if I am anxious for being too early or careless if late.”
“Madam Golden, meet Earth the sorcerer and one of our members of the Owlet,” Falavas said. Madam Golden strode pass the two old men and plumped herself down in a chair that was backed against the wall nearest the fire. Her green robes stuck to her torso and loosened as it went down to her lower body. Her dark eyes seemed to glow green as the fire hit them and Earth drew to a conclusive that he had never seen a finer woman. He saw her ears were pointed as she gave a bow.
“Sir Earth, I am please to be in your presence,” Madam Golden said.
“The same to you my lady,” Sir Earth said, bowing his head.
“Now,” Madam Golden said, in a commanding tone. “I think it is time for business. The Owlet—to my knowledge—is a group of some of the most powerful sorcerers, that are human who are trying to find and stopped Golindon the evil sorcerer, before he gets any trace of the next chosen one?”
“You are very well informed, my lady” Earth said.
“I try to be,” Madam Golden said. “Now, where do we start?”
“First, we inform you of all the movements of Golindon—or we would, if there were any trace of him or any of his followers—then we arrange a meeting for you to meet the other members of the Owlets.” The human stated.
Golden was messing with her amulet that Earth had not noticed.
“Golden…were you listening,” Falavas asked.
Looking up, Golden gave the two men an aggravated look. “Yes, yes. There has been no sign of Golindons movements and I must meet with the other Owlet members,” Golden said, dully.
“Are you sure she can handle this?” Earth asked Falavas.
“Golden,” Falavas said, looking at Golden who stared back, aggravated.
“Yes, Sir Falavas?”
“Your temper—
“Is short,” Golden said, cutting across the ancient elf. “I am really surprised that you, at the age eleven hundred can handle all this,” Golden finished gesturing around the room.
“Women,” Sir Falavas said to Earth who nodded in agreement.
“So, I think I shall make contact with you good sorcerers when I am free,” Golden said, rising.
“Golden what are you doing?” Sir Falavas asked.
“I have an important meeting, Sir Falavas and I must not be early, but I definitely do not want to be late,” Golden said, stepping across the room and grabbing the doorknob. Turning back to Earth she said, “I am sorry if I seem rude, however, I am busy and I will prefer if you and the Owlets came to my Quarters in the Kingdom of the Elves. Please just send an owl addressed to me and I will tell you the best time.”
“Well, Sir Earth,” Sir Falavas said rising, “This will be our last meet.”
“Yes it shall,” Sir Earth, said rising, “Take care dear friend and also the other Owlets have informed me of the training of the next Owlets.”
“Good, good,” Sir Falavas said. “Tell the others I give them my farewells and do not mind Golden, she is very smart and she knows herself best as we all do. Also, do not forget to find your apprentice so you can have someone to take your post.”
“Thank you,” Sir Earth said. They bowed to each other and Earth walked Falavas to the door and opened it. “Now have a safe fly.” Earth said to the two elves. They both exploded into a mist, Falavas a white mist and Golden a light green and rose into the raining night sky.
The Owlet
The sun hit his face the next morning and Earth rose and saw that fall was leaving and winter was drawing over the lands fast through the window. After dressing in his casual blue robes, he pulled on his cloak and stepped out into the bustling street.
“Good day,” a woman called to him.
“Good day,” Earth called back. He turned to the right making his way to his favorite pub to have breakfast. As he turned onto the next road, he made his way pass the Seers shop where many people were lined up trying to get their fortune told. Earth turned down another road that was less crowded and turned into the second door and made his way to the bar.
“Hello, Earth,” the bartender said, “the original?”
“Yes,” the sorcerer replied.
“COOK, THE ORIGINAL FOR EARTH!” the bartender shouted over his shoulder.
“Yeah, yeah,” a voice replied.
“I think that will work well—
“That is excellent—
“Wow—
“Good morning.”
Earth heard all the casually conversations that seemed to take place every morning. He waited for his meal and the tender bought over a glass of rum.
“Now, now,” Earth said raising the glass. “You know I have no use for rum.”
“You sorcerers and seers you all seem to think the same,” the tender said. Returning from the other end of the bar with a glass filled with a grape colored liquid.
“Tell me,” the tender said replacing the glasses. “How did you learn all of that…?” the tender asked in a whisper.
Earth knew what he was talking about as he rubbed his blonde hair out of his face. The bartender was young and his name was Tom. “Tom, Tom, Tom,” the sorcerer said. “Tell me…when will my food be ready?”
“Soon,” Tom asked. He looked a bit relieved that Earth had not told him of how to learn sorcery but also a bit disappointed. He turned away and headed down to the other end of the bar to take an order.
After Earth had eaten his breakfast, he said his farewell to the tender for the day and headed back home. As he passed the Seers shop, he saw all the customers had been tended to and he decided to make a quick detour.
As the door swung open, a bell clanged. He walked over observing the seers products and as he passed a psychics ball it flared with a blue light that quickly vanished.
“What are you doing?” a voiced asked. It had a hysterical sound to it, but it did not seem to carry a fraud to it as some of the claimed to be seers Earth had met in his lifetime. He turned to the Seer who stood in the center of the shop. Her blonde hair drooped around her head and her brown dress drug the floor behind her. Her green eyes were almost black.
“Looking,” Earth, said. “How have you been Seer?
“Just fine,” she replied.
“Good, good,” Earth replied.
“Well I was going to pay you a visit but however you came to me,” the Seer said. “I need a potion, a sleeping one.”
“Not sleeping well?”
“For a customer,” the Seer replied. “You understand.”
“Little,” Earth said modestly. “I shall deliver it to you when it is ready.”
“I shall pay you then?” the Seer asked.
“Yes,” Earth said.
“Are you sure,” the Seer asked.
“I am sure,” Earth replied.
“Well, I shall see you soon,” the Seer said.
“It was good seeing you,” Earth lied. It was somewhat good to see an old friend but sometimes ties should just be there and left.
“You are a horrible liar,” the Seer said with a grin.
“Thank you,” Earth retorted turning and leaving.
The door gave a creak as Earth closed it behind him removing his cloak. He took his staff from inside his robes where he always kept it and waved it at the dead fire, saying, “Firplazco.”
The flames leaped from the ashes surrounding the logs as Earth tucked his staff back into his robes and strode over to the door that led to his potion room, opened it, and walked over to his book. He opened it to the page that read, ‘Sleeping Potion,’ and turned and took his staff from his robes and lit the fireplace the same as he had done that last. His cauldron he filled with water that he fetched from outside as the cauldron heated. As he dropped the necessary ingredients into the steaming water, he remembers he needs to contact the other Owlets.
He stepped from the cauldron as it went from a simmer to a boil. Sitting in the chair that occupied the center of the room he waited for the potion to turn from its murky gray to murky silver, writing on parchment a letter. He explains the post change and asks if there has been any new discovers on Golindons movements he should know about. He also describes the beautiful elf woman, Madam Golden to them in detail, not thinking of the women of the Owlet.
He also asked his allies of their apprentices training not mentioning that he had yet to find an apprentice of his own. He also told them that they would need to meet and soon. Reading the letter he took out his staff and tapped it six times then said, “Copdilate.”
A shimmer of light surrounded the parchment as it turned to a stack. He addressed each to a member of the Owlet. Folding them, he stood and went out the room and stepped down a narrow hall up to a window and opened it. Clicking his tongue twice at the air and he waited. A black spec came at him in the sky and as it came closer, he held out his arm and the black owl landed on it gently.
“Hello, Twitter,” Earth said to his bird. “I need you to deliver these to the other Owlets,” the sorcerer said tying the letters to the bird’s leg. “Now, be careful and rest occasionally, you and the other birds do not need to race every time you meet.”
The owl, Twitter, looked at him coherently and hooted.
“Very well, you silly owl,” Earth said, crossly, “Do as you please.”
Twitter gave a hoot and took off into the air. He returned to the potion room and saw that the potion was nearly complete. He stepped over to the cauldron with a tube and vial waiting for the potion to stop boiling. When it did, he filled the vial and sat it down on the podium to cool. He returned to the family quarters of his home and grabbed a book from the shelf left of the door and plumped down in the chair to write down all that was happening.
He wrote of how there had been no sighting of Golindon, the change in the Elf Post and how he had made contact with the other Owlets. It was crucial that he kept the journal up to date for it would hold all that his apprentice would need when he took up Earths post--and if Earth ever finds and apprentice.
He wished Tom would just show a hint of the ability to do magic. He would be happy. The wind blew outside as Earth dwelled on the fact that he had no one to share his knowledge with. He had been chosen for this mission after the Elf Council had collected a child from a burning cottage so long ago. Him and the other members of the Owlet, Michellyn, Bearl, Roalin, Forestal, Canta, and Tracia, they had to find Golindon before whatever the elves knew and would not share could happen. When he had first found out he was a magician from his father he was amazed. He put his life into his studies and then…he did not like to think about it but he knew it was useless not to. Then his father died. He had never found love as his father had with his mother. He only knew what loving was, not what being in love was.
He felt the rush of the force hit the window and he sat up to its rattling. Standing, he walked over and saw the street was almost dead and no one was near his window. He took the book and placed it on the shelf. As it slid back into its place gold orbs that vanished just as quickly as they had come surrounded it.
Earth opened the door to the street and looked around the corner using his head. No one was in sight that could have shaken his window. He turned closing the door quietly behind him. He took out a sliver locket and saw that the moon was just a quarter to the sun. Three hours until sunset, he told himself and then the potion shall be cooled enough. In the meantime, he would help himself to a lunch and a nice nap. He made his way to his right going through an archway he stepped into a kitchen.
The cooking table sat in the center of the room with the entire tool he would need to make just about any meal. Beyond that was the grand fireplace, where four pots or pans could hang and prepare the meal. He did enjoy cooking. It was something to keep his eyes and hands busy, his mind thinking and that was the way he liked it. Sometimes working with creature people did not know about was very interesting, but at times, it was very dull.
He took some flour and water, mixed them into a bowl, and started to work the dough. Once the dough was to his liking, he placed it into a metal container and hung it in the oven to cook while he sat in his rocking chair waiting for his lunch.
Once the bread had finished he pulled it gently from the oven, placing it on the table and examined the loaf of bread that was really two, that had been forced into one. He cut two slices, took some olives from the cupboard, and ate his lunch sitting in his chair. He let his eyes droop and his mind wonder as he fell into a deep sleep.
When his eyes opened, it was because the loud pop from the fire. He sat up, looked out the window, and saw it was dark. The moon was at its quarter behind his house. He stood and made his way to his potion room. Grabbing, the potion, he returned to the family quarters, and tightened his robe around him tight and pulled his cloak over it and tightened it around his neck, placing the potion in its pocket.
He tugged his beard as thoughts ran through his mind. He opened the door and stepped onto the empty street in the Village of Sagage. The night was cold and winter could be felt with every breath of wind herself. She pushed Earth along the roads and until he came upon the street that bared the Seers shop. There was a movement behind him and he turned to see the road behind him empty. The city council should really think about lamppost, Earth thought to himself. Although Sagage was a fairly small village in the Nation of Arick it deserved some kind of light to guide its people through the dark.
He could not wait to see the other Owlets. Although they barely met, they had a bond of friendship that held them tightly together. They would arrive within spring, when it was a good time to travel the lands of Valisania. It had been some time since any of them had left their post to see each other. Although the average wizard could live up to four hundred years, time was dull without the company of wizards you know.
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I would change “past his breast” for “past his chest”, sounds womanly to me otherwise.
“thumping ring through” should be “thumping rang through”.
“swept across the floor…” sounds weird.
Your text flows pretty well from action to action however I would rework the dialog a little, some sentences sound way to overworked. I realize it is fantasy but still, it makes it very laborious to read. Like this “Good, good. I am getting quite old though if you cannot tell and also….”change it for “Good, good. I am getting quite old though if you cannot tell. Your age is beginning to affect you also.” or something, just polish off some sentences structures, particularly between the sorcerer and the elf at the beginning. The dialog with the tender was actually pretty good. Add some expressions though, some facial reaction, hand gestures…just so we get the emotion of each character. Otherwise it is very flat.
You used “made his way” in two sentences back to back after “Good day.” Maybe change the second one for, “he passed in front of the Seers…”
Change “saw that the potion was” for “saw that it was” because you repeat the word potion in the same sentence.
You repeat behind him twice in the same sentence. Change one of them.
Besides those few details, this is a pretty easy and simple read which is good. I hate when fantasy gets too wordy, gets boring.
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