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by Zera Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ · Book · Fantasy · #1021189
When Dallamar Magnus is almost burned at the stake, he starts a amazing journey...
Chapter One


BONES RATTLED in the bag as the woman jingled it to and fro. The young man, who sat across the small table from her, watched intently as the witch tipped the small bag upside down, letting the tiny bones within clatter onto the counter.

Alethea, the village witch, studied the runes engraved on the bones for a long while, muttering to herself as she thought the meaning hidden inside. Dallamar waited patently, entertaining himself by scratching Alethea’s snow white kitten behind the ears.

Finally, the witch shook her head, smoky brown fringe obscuring her hazel eyes. “This is the most complicated reading I’ve ever done,” she muttered, touching the bones lightly each in turn.

Dallamar leaned forward, topaz eyes sparkling. “Can you make anything out of it?” He brushed the kitten away, ignoring it’s mews for attention, eyes boring into the top of the woman’s head.

Alethea pointed at one rune, which had the likeliness of a pair of footsteps scored into it. “This one’s easy. The trajiet. Since it is the first and intersects with the chemin – the Wandering Path - it says a long journey awaits you. Now, close to that Combine is the dagarz Reversed. Now, when the dagarz is Reversed, it basically means the Hourglass. Now, since the trajiet, chemin and the Reversed dagarz equal a three way Combine, this means that you will have a very long journey ahead of you that will most likely happen quite quickly, perhaps it will even begin in the next few days!”

Dallamar glared at the runes, feeling the sweat from the heat trickle down his neck. It was very hot in Alethea’s small house, and the incense seemed to smother him, making it hard to breath. The Hourglass, the Many Footsteps and the Wandering path all in one reading. There were even still more bones to decipher two. He thought about the meaning of the three runes for a little, while Alethea stood up from her chair and bustled over to make some more tea for them both. Dallamar started to regret coming here. He liked this small town. Some of his memories of living here with his parents and siblings were fond. He scowled inwardly at the other memories that forced there way to the top. The bones would never lie, unlike most other divining cards and crystal balls. He would be leaving soon. I don’t want to leave! he suddenly found himself thinking. This was his birthtown, the place he had grown up in.

Alethea sat down onto her chair again, passing a cup of hot steaming tea to her friend, who absently took it, still staring at the bones scattered around the table. She knew if the young man dwelt on his journey for too long, it would just depress him, so she chose the next rune and started again.

“Now, here we find the Three Way Spread. The first rune is the situation you are currently be in, but as this comes following the journey Combine, it means this will be the situation you will be in after your journey begins.

“The first rune is the eipent bein. This means that many battles will rage around you as you make your journey. The Action, which is the next rune and the action you will take, is...” She stopped, her brow creasing. The rune seemed to look like two swords crossed together. “This is the atique sarrus-tu. This seems to mean you will be part of these battles, and you will fight and be part of them. Strange... And after that, the Outcome card is the uraz. The uraz means strength. It also means that many decisions will present them selves.” She looked up in wonder at Dallamar, whose eyes flickered among the bones. “What I would give to know who your life turns out as!”

Alethea scanned the bones, then smiled, and pointed at two that touched each other at the corner. “This is a little more pleasant.” She jabbed the first one, which seemed to show two hands shaking. “This is the fricai, or Companionship. It is at a right angle to the journey Combine, so on your many travels, friends will be made, so you will not be alone. And here is the aiimir. This means that one of your companions may become your love and romance... Interesting!”
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Printed from https://writing.com/main/books/item_id/1021189-The-Gathering