The Time Before

Trengin : A friendly visit

Chapter 1: A friendly visit

After a busy night collecting, I finally made it home to a well deserved bed. Thoroughly drenched from the storm raging outside I resisted the whim to shake myself dry like a dog. I settled instead for dropping my collecting bag by the door and laying my cloak out over the back of a chair. Wearily I traced a small shape over the cape with one finger and steam obediently rose from it, quickly drying the heavy material.

With a sigh I collapsed in my favourite chair and grimaced at the empty fire-grate. A mental war quickly broke out: which was the least effort - standing up, fetching logs and lighting them; or levitating logs, and igniting them with magic? With an even larger sigh I remember the complications involved with levitating and forced myself back on my feet.

I quickly arranged several large logs in the open fireplace and then compromised. A flick of a wrist and I watched with some satisfaction as materialised flames immediately licked up the dry wood.

Settling back in my chair I closed my eyes and concentrated for one last time before I could finally get some sleep. Carefully and slowly I rotated both wrists, index fingers held out. In my mind I allows my influence to step out from my body and move away. In a painstaking manner my awareness moved in a circle around my house, stopping at my limit about 100 yards away. Satisfied that there was no aura of Sempa around I check the defences I had prepared. Nothing had been tampered with.

With a final sigh I open my eyes, and then promptly close them again, this time in sleep.

- ~ -

The next morning dawned bright and clear. The storm had cleared away the humidity that plagued the area for several weeks, before blowing itself out in the early hours. Water dripped from the many trees that circle the small house protectively; silent sentinels to the cloaked figure that made its way clumsily towards the front door.

Inside, warm from the still burring fire, I woke instinctively and stretched. Is it morning already? Within seconds I realised it was morning, but that wasn't what had woken me. Before I could get more details a sharp knock echoed on the door.

With a hand ready to activate defences, along with several offensive runes running through my mind, I opened the front door.

"Whoa, hold it Treng, it's just me, Roah, relax ok!"

The mage held up his hands, clearly aware that I was about to defend myself.

With some relief, and equal parts frustration at the unannounced visit, I relaxed and attempted a smile.

"Roah, whatcha doin' here, gave me a fright out my skin. Why didn't you send an announcement?"

Roah grinned.

"Because as you know, my paranoid friend, you have this place wrapped up so tight if I used even a wisp of magic I'd be toast before you'd finished snoring. Now how about inviting me in, or should I stay out here?"

"What do you want? I'm not joining you" I blurted out even as I opened the door wider for my visitor.

"So hostile, what makes you think I want something." Roah responded innocently, but the faint twitches of a smile around his eyes give away what I already knew.

"I'm not joining the group, if you can call it that. How many members do you have in your so called 'Circle' now anyway?."

Roah looked down, but then quickly bounced back with his usual enthusiasm.

"Well, only two yet, but you'd make three, and then we'd officially be a group. Although more of a triangle," he added with another grin.

Shaking my head I shuffled into the kitchen, muttering at their idoicy.

"Tea?" I offered.

"Thanks," came the swift reply, followed by a change of tact from my morning visitor. "So how you keeping?"

"As you can see, fine thanks."

"You don't fancy living somewhere a little more civilised?"

"'Tis safer here."

A twang of frustration entered Roah's voice.

"Come on Treng, you know why I'm here. Sempa are appearing everywhere, and getting more organised. This isn't like before. We aren't seeing individuals, or small groups. Someone or something is beginning to organise them. We can't just hide any more.

"Why not?" I muttered stubbornly.

"People are dying Treng, not just a few either. Groups of Sempa are annihilating entire villages and towns."

"What can I do?"

"Join us."

"And what can a... triangle do?"

"Start a proper resistance, start fighting back. Ordinary soldiers have been trying across the continent since the beginning."

"Fools, they'd all get killed."

"And they have," Roah countered grimly. "But they are at least trying. It's only mages that have shied away from the problem, despite calls from the Capital for us to join the armies and help."

"And you think we few can make a difference? If I say no, you think your remaining 'Line' will?"

"Perhaps not, but if we take out just one Sempa, that's one less to hurt ordinary people. Plus, we can encourage more to join. Many others are still in hiding, and there's Emflikars everywhere."

He paused for a second.

"That's one of the reasons we want you actually. No one's come closer to becoming an Emflikar without it taking them than you. Maybe you could help restore them?"

"Bah, weak fools," I began

"That could swell our ranks massively if they could be brought back." Roah countered.

I shrugged my shoulders, and looked out the window in thought.