Lost in Midstar, Part 6 (Finale) - "The Adventure Comes To An End"

My travelling companions and I took four more days to finish our journey to Amberwater. We walked through the hills, and as we walk over the knoll, we saw the city on the horizon. It was close to the shore by the sea. The walls were eroded from however many hundred years they had been there. A river flowed through the plains, winding and curling all the way back to a small canal coming from the city walls. On the watchtowers hung two weathered banners. They were green with what seemed to be a river running through it. As we walked towards the city, I asked Maerith what the banners were all about.
“So, what are the banners for,” I asked.
“It is the banner of the Greenford Clan,” he said. “They were one of the ten clans of men that founded this kingdom nearly two-thousand years ago. This was the city they built. Many of the people here speak to each other in their clan’s tongue. They are quite prideful of their ancestry.”
“So, do the other nine clans have their own cities?”
“Why yes they do! The Grayblades founded Dawnsreach just east of here. The Silvergardes founded Silverhaven, and they were chosen to lead the kingdom. And the Magecloaks, they founded High Keep. They were skilled men in the arts of magic. They were taught by the Faen in ages long past..”
“Is that why the Magic College is there?”
“Well, I would believe so. Some of the other clans did not catch on as much as they did. Especially those Bronzeshields, who live in the shadow of rock.”
“What does that mean?”
“Oh, they live in the corner of the parts of the kingdom by the mountains. It’s a bit of clan rivalry. You would not understand.”
We entered the gates of the city and looked around. Maerith approached one of the townsfolk.
“Excuse me, sir, but I was wondering if you might be able to point my escorts and I to the house of a man named Gorothin?” The man raised his brow.
“Gorothin? Why, I believe he’s the magic man who lives on the other side of town. A queer fellow, he is. Always so busy with his research that he never comes out to talk to anyone. Just east, over the water and you should see his home with a sign up on the door.”
“Thank you, sir,” Maerith told him. “This way.” He lead us through the streets and over a bridge until we arrived at a decent sized, two-story brick house. On the wooden door, there was a sign with runes carved on it which I believe said “Perrunac Tygch”, which means “Do Not Bother” in their language. Nrög grabbed the door knob and tried to open in. He looked down and saw the lock on the door.
“Let me,” said Tircínwen. She opened her pouch and took out a pick, then drew her dagger. She crouched down and stuck the pick carefully into the keyhole, using the dagger to hold it in place. She took a few seconds to find where the tumblers in it were, and it opened with a click. She opened the door, and in front of us was the main room of the house. We walked into the room. There was a fireplace and a mantle in the back with a dinner table and chairs. On the right side of the room were shelves with miscellaneous items like plates and silverware, as well as a chest and a window. To the left was a stareway to the upper floor.
“Gorothin of Amberwater, show yourself,” Nrög said in a loud void. “You are wanted for your crimes against the School of Arcane Arts in High Keep. Come out, and we’ll make this easy.” There was no answer that followed. We checked upstairs. It was full of books and study material. He wasn’t there, either. The house was dead.
“If he isn’t here, where is he? What if he’s still out there? What if he went to another city or town someplace? I’m never gonna get back home no--”
“Hush, boy,” Maerith said. It was silent.
“I don’t hear anything but the bree-”
“Shhh,” Maerith said. He held out his staff and closed his eyes. Then he quietly began mumbling, and he took a step forward. He slowly walked around the room for a moment until his staff touched the chimney of the fireplace. The mantle had a metal kite-shield hanging from it. Maerith opened his eyes, and reach for the shield. He turned it to the side, and the fireplace slid to the side. There was a staircase that spiralled down. “Almost every mage has a secret room behind there hearth,” he said. “Who wishes to go first?” Tircínwen walked ahead.
“Thank you, Maerith,” she said. Nrög followed, and so did I. We walked down the spiral staircase into a dark chamber, lit by torches. There were tables with baskets of herbs and powders and other ingredients, as well as spiraling alchemy tubes and glasses. There were bookshelves with books on magic and other subjects. In the middle of the room, though, was a stone structure that looked like a portal. A man with a long, dark-blue robe and a beard was scurrying around, drawing symbols in a circle with paint. He looked up to see us, and let out a cry of shock and terror. He reached into his robe and threw a glass bottle full of liquid at us. We all dodged it. When it hit the ground, it turned into green fumes. I got a whiff of it and realized it was poison. We got away and drew my sword.
“No, no, no, I refuse to be stopped! This was my supposed to be my father’s legacy, and I won’t let his work be in vain,” Gorothin yelled.
“Gorothin, if you come willingly, your punishment might not be as severe,” Maerith said.
“I won’t listen to a like minded fool of the College!” He raised his hand and it began to spark. He pointed at Maerith, shooting a lightning bolt at him. Maerith casted a magic shield in front of him to block it. Tircínwen threw a dagger at Gorothin, and it just barely missed. I didn’t want to get too close, being that I was barely protected by my clothes and was armed with nothing but a shortsword. But then I had an idea, and a stupid one at that. I turned around to see the alchemy table behind me. There were potions sitting on it, so I grabbed one of them. I had no idea what it did.
I looked over at Gorothin, drew my arm back and said, “God, please let this be a potion that will help us, and not one that will give him extra strength or speed or something. Please let my aim be accurate and strike him. Please help me get back home.” I saw an opening and threw it toward him. Crash. It hit him right in the head. He looked over at me and began to reach his arm out to cast a spell at me, but he stopped moving. He didn’t move at all. He was paralyzed. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Quick, tie him up with a rope! The effect will wear off soon,” Maerith yelled. Tircínwen ran over, taking a short rope out of her bag. She forced his arms as best she could behind his back, tying them together. I looked for the papers and research that Gorothin was using. It was lying on the floor. I picked it up and brought it over to Maerith.
“Since you’re the mage, help me check to see if he did everything the spell needs for me to get home,” I said. He agreed, and read through the papers. Everything was in check. The ritual circle that Gorothin had made was all in place. All I needed to do was to write in the circle where it was I wanted to go (which was optional). I took the bowl of paint that was used to draw the symbols on the ritual circle, and in front of the portal wrote my address, along with “Brooklyn, New York, Earth”. “I’ll do this next part for you,” Maerith said. He read out something written on the paper. A blue mist appeared within the portal stones, and then it opened. “By Onnadi, it worked!”
“Let's hope so,” I said.
“I believe it is now time that we part ways,” he said in a melancholy tone.
“So, what about Gorothin?”
“He will be at the mercy of the Mage’s College. He’ll probably have a dead magic spell placed on him.” “Well, I guess that I have nothing else to worry about, here. I’ll be on my way…” I looked back at the portal. “Wait,” yelled Tircínwen. She reached into her bag and pulled out my clothes that I was wearing when I arrived here. “You forgot these.” I went over and took them from her.
“Thanks, Tircínwen. I guess this is goodbye,” I said. She leaned over and kissed my cheek.
“Farewell, Aaron of the House of Benjamin,” she told me. Nrög walked over. I turned to him.
“Here, you can have your sword back.”
“Keep it, lad. You’ve earned it.”
“Really?”
“I can get a blade anywhere. It won’t be a problem.” I kept the scabbard on my belt. I turned around to Maerith.
“Thank you for all that you have taught me,” I said to him.
“It was my pleasure,” he said. I walked back over to the portal, and looked into the swirling blue mist. I looked by around at everyone.
“I will never forget you or the adventure we shared,” I said.
I shut my eyes and took a step forward, leaving the world of Midstar and ending my adventure.