Chapter 1 - Part 3

[Haiden's dry tongue scraped his crusty lips; his thirst taking over thinking only of the cold ice water that waited for him. As he approached the water a man burst from the depths stark naked.]

"Regor!?" Haiden managed to croak with a sharp intake of air. He stopped in his tracks letting go of Dusty's reins. His eyebrows rose in shock and his mouth laid open as if he wanted to say something, but he'd lost his ability to form coherent thoughts - words weren't even an option.

"Young Haiden! Dusty!" the naked man moved in big steps weighed down by water. In one hand he held a couple of tied fish and the other was moving frantically, waving.

Haiden, stunned from both relief and embarrassment, he watched Regor's approach unable to move or look away. It was the first time, at least that he remembers, seeing another person, other than himself, naked. He couldn't quite take his eyes off of his companion, noting how different their bodies were. Regor was a tan wall of hard worked muscles draped in thick dark hair and Haiden, well, Haiden was a lean pasty child in comparison, even though Regor was just a couple of years older.

Regor was now at arms-length and smiled warmly. He gave Haiden a slap on the shoulder with his free hand and a few scratches on Dusty's cheek.

"You're alive," Haiden managed to finally say.

"Aye! I'm so happy to see the both of yous. Thought you were dead like these fishes." Regor gave him another slap on the shoulder, this time with such force that Haiden lost his center but quickly rebounded. "How'bout we sit down and you get a taste. Eh?" He said jerking his head towards his camp.

"A-a taste?" Haiden voice cracked and swallowed dry, his eyes darting down and back at his companion's face. He felt Regor's proximity. In the cold air of autumn his friend emanated heat like a quiet summer day contrasting the chill of an autumn morning. Haiden's ears reddened with warmth of their own. He kept his eyes pinned to Regor's face, trying not to lower his gaze.

"Aye, caught these beauties just now!" Regor raised the fish for Haiden to see. "Here, 'old them 'till I get me threads" He pushed the fish in Haiden's arms and strutted down the waterfall river behind a small boulder where he had left his clothing.

Seeing Regor's naked body sent shivers through Haiden's very core. It was like everything has been engulfed in darkness except for his companion, he could not peal his eyes off him, something clicked in Haiden, something he had always pushed down to the very depths of his soul, something that never left even with his memories gone.

Haiden watched Regor still in a slight daze he noticed a heavy bandage on Regor's thigh and made a mental note to ask about it later.

Haiden's throat could not bear it any longer, so he dropped to his knees and gulped mouthfuls of cold fresh water. Dusty followed him immediately messily splashing everywhere while chomping at the water with his vertical split jaw.

Regor joined them quickly fully dressed in damp clothes and they headed back to the camp. They pulled a fallen log and made themselves comfortable while Haiden dosed a few dry twigs and leaves in combustible oil and concentrated to spark a fire.

"How'd you manage to lose that hideous beast. I saw the bastard ran right after you." Haiden broke the silence.

"Climbed up a tree as fast as me legs could hold me. The shit had crooked human-like hands jus'like me aunty Feea. Nasty evil creature, always forced fed me drum roots. Yuck!" Regor mouth turned in disgust. "Nah, the shit really had human hands with thick claws. Never seen nothing like that. Ripped me good pack too, bloody toerag, me ma' gave it to me." Regor replied holding his bag for Haiden to see. It had a big gash right down the middle.

Haiden gave him a short laugh and remembered the trail and raised a finger for Regor to hold his thought and then searched his own bag. For the short period they were separated, he missed his goofy companion.

"Here, found these on my way." he tossed a few satchels and the amulet over the low fire to Regor.

"My tea bags!" Regor held the little satchels in reverence with his big pawlike hands, completely ignoring the ruby amulet. "Ha Ha! Our dinner is now complete, don't you say, young Haiden?"

"Just my luck..." Haiden said grinning. He was glad to be reunited with the man he'd spent almost four months with on the road. Even though he'd almost cost him his chance at a new life. "Right after the shit left you alone, he must've came for my scent, caught up to me in a blink. Had to wield my way out of a tight spot. Barely got out alive." His eyebrows creased. Remembering the sight of the pale white creature, reddened by blood chilled him to the bone. Thinking back with Regor's comments in mind, the creature did have a human like presence to it, but twisted beyond recognition.

"See?" Haiden said while pulling his bloodied shirt revealing a long red and pink scar on his abdomen.

"How'd you get that nasty, looks weeks old." Regor asked inching closer.

"That ugly bastard landed a good swipe at my side. "I used my wielding to numb the pain and close it. Saw your leg, back at the waterfall." Haiden replied. "Does it hurt? Let me take a look at yours." He insisted

"Aye, fecking shit got me too. 'S not that bad but can't put much weight on it. Here." Regor pulled his slacks down without hesitation, curious to see how Haiden would wield.

Haiden was taken by surprise by Regor's brazen attitude; he instinctively turned his head the other way.

"Well?" Regor said. "It's cold, ye'know. Don't want to keep my slacks around my ankles all day." he chuckled.

"Right," Haiden approached Regor's bandaged thigh and placed a firm hand on it and closed his eyes. Again, it was hard to concentrate, he was so close to Regor, and felt every muscle tense beneath his palm. Clearing his mind of all thoughts except wielding he managed to concentrate on the wound. Static started to flow in his limbs; he sent it out of his palm towards the wound and he felt everything: the bandage, the edges of the torn flesh, the muscle, and the bone beneath. It wasn't a fatal wound, but the muscle was damaged. Haiden didn't know how to heal the wound but at least he could clean, and numb it before the heat of his fios closed the wound.

"This will hurt a bit, hold onto something." Haiden warned and grabbed the back of Regor's tight with his other hand. The air above shimmered and then an instant of intense pain made Regor spasm involuntarily and spit all known curses and bad words. But it was over in seconds.

"That should do it." Haiden assured Regor, and he slumped on the log.

"Is it like that every time you heal someone?" Regor asked breathing heavily.

"I didn't heal your wound. Don't know how to, yet. Just cleaned the wound and closed it so it doesn't get infected. I also numbed your thigh, so you won't hurt as bad." Haiden replied. "You should pull your slacks back on before you catch something..." he said turning his head feeling warmth pooling in his cheeks.

"Aye." Regor agreed before stomping his leg, testing it out. "So, what spell did you use to escape that shit'eating creature? Can you show me?" Regor asked with big eyes, unfazed by what just happened. He always nagged Haiden about the smallest of spells he did here and there with intense seriousness and eagerness to learn more. It got on Haiden's nerves quite a lot in the past, but now he welcomed this habitual interaction between the two of them and distraction from his current thoughts.

"'ight, you earned this one." he replied jerking his head towards the fish over the campfire. "Guess this will help you with your Ashen training."

"Aye. That too." Regor shrugged but Haiden cleared his throat to speak, he was all ears.

"The spell is actually something i came up with..." Haiden related his encounter with the creature while they ate. Regor always looked alive whenever he heard Haiden talk about wielding. This picked at Haiden's curiosity to know why.

"So, Ashen cadet? Joining one of the most prestigious force in the empire - besides wielders, of course -" Haiden added in a low whisper, glancing furtively over the dwindling fire. The sun shone brightly through the thick canopy of emler trees giving the illusion of warmth, but the piercing air cut through like a chilled steel blade.

"Aye, young Haiden. What'bout it?" Regor replied uninterested and Haiden raised a sharp eyebrow.

"You clearly don't want to join, do you? I'm just wondering why bother? Haiden said. His companion lowered his head, eyes darkened by his prominent brow.

Regor shuffled uncomfortably on the log. "I envy you, young Haiden. Not only you've been blessed but you're also free." Regor replied and Haiden immediately stiffened on his log. The reasons behind his companion's apparent dislike to a new life in Elo'yn as an Ashen cadet went deeper than he thought. Regor saw Haiden's lined face contemplating his next words and spared him the chance to say anything more.

"I...come from the wealthiest family in Northern Yn'lan, where having the gift of wielding is second in nature, young Haiden. No one in me family has ever been born without the blessing of wielding. And I committed the gravest sin in me father's eyes, among others. Brought shame upon me ma' and pa' - I was born without the gift. Ye'see? As the only son and the heir of me family's fortune me, purpose is set in stone. Was set in stone," Regor corrected himself.

Haiden creased his brows and leaned on his knees with his elbows. His stomach churned as he felt inadequate to comfort Regor. With his memory loss and limited contact with the world he had no real grasp of realities beyond his own experience.

"Surely your parents would understand that it's not your choice how you were born.' Haiden argued.

"If only that was true, young Haiden. When me parents saw that I had no ability growing up they got the local wielder to appraise me power. Their worry was that I was too weak to display any ability in me young age but when the wielder came, he said that there was no shred of power in me." Regor's eyes were shadowed as he lowered his gaze to the ground. He was ashamed. "They were beyond disappointed. Afterwards it was like I wasn't even their son and shortly after they sent for a distant cousin to be schooled and prepared as heir."

"Regor, I...I'm so sorry hear that," Haiden felt for his companion. His heart ached to sooth his friend's pain. He couldn't help but pity Regor, even though his own reality was a bleak one at least his lack of memories shielded him from any pain that losing everything might cause. "so, you've enrolled into the Ashen because of that?"

"A few months before I went south on my journey and met you, me pa' gave me a choice. Become someone that can help the family as an Ashen or stay in the shadows by me cousin's side as the steward of the house. The humiliation of being a servant in me parent's house, the one I loved and grew up in was too much... I had to leave. Although, I may be big but I lack any ability with a sword. I guess The Creators didn't want me to excel at anything." The eternal joyful face of the man he's been traveling with took a complete opposite. Regor got up and turned to leave but Haiden grabbed his big hand and pulled him to his side on the log.

"Please, sit, Regor. I can't understand everything that you're feeling but I know you hurt. I wish I could take it away; your pain. I wish your parents understood that wielding, really, isn't everything. If you're rotten to the core and a wielder, that doesn't make you good or worthy, you're still rotten. And the truth is, there's nothing rotten about you. You're a good man, Regor." Regor seemed to have relaxed and his glossy eyes met Haidens.

"I've n-never told this to anyone. It's easier to pretend I don't remember anything at all, but I do remember some of what happened." He closed his eyes and sighed. Trying to remember the past gave him great headaches and vertigo overcame him when he strained. "Don't hate me for this but, if I had to choose between being a wielder and staying at home, even as a servant I would not hesitate to go back," Haiden took a breath of cold air, bracing himself mentally to what he's about to confide in his companion and the paint that was to come. "Some time ago a bad accident happened. My ma' and pa's shop was being ransacked by a bunch of thugs. That's when I discovered I've been blessed." He let out a soft chuckle "blessed - odd way of putting it. The thugs beat my ma' and pa' and I panicked. Something overwhelmed me and I burned down the shop and everyone in it. I lost my family and home because of wielding. Afterwards I woke up in the sanctum with no memories, clothes, money or family."

Regor had fallen silent, his tan cheeks now flushed.

"I'm so sorry, young Haiden. You must be annoyed that a spoilt brat like me, coming from everything, is whining about something that caused you so much pain." Regor pressed his face in his palms in embarrassment. He raised his head again after a few contemplations. His eyebrows creased in puzzlement. "So, why are you going to the Academy, then? I would want to stay away from wielding if I were in your place, I would."

"I do, or I think I did? After the accident I caused I fell in a deep sleep. I woke up after a few months, I'm still not sure how long I was in that sanctum bed. But when I woke up, my mind was blank, I couldn't remember anything. I couldn't even remember how to speak or walk. Haiden recalled as he cleaned the last pieces of flesh off the bones, the pain in his head intensified as he even recalled his stay at the sanctum. "One day a wielder came out of nowhere, he must have been important because everyone treated him like he was damn royalty. He used a series of complicated bonding spells on my mind and he was able to retrieve bits and pieces. He was my mentor too, for a really short while. Told me that I was special, powerful." Haiden laughed. "Not something I wanted to hear after I remembered what happened. It took a few more months for him to persuade me to even think about it. But he said learning how to control it, was the only way to get my memories back so, I figured at least I should try and honor my ma' and pa' by remembering them. He said that someone in a high position in the King's court is interested in powerful wielders and offered to send me to Elo'yn to join the Academy." Haiden had finished his fish, and played with the skewer. "I couldn't stay in the sanctum for all my life. I guess I too had to make a hard choice. Overcome my fears and get my memories back or leave my past behind forever foregoing this blessing." Opening up to someone left him feeling vulnerable, exposed and this made him uncomfortable and fidgety. He couldn't look Regor in the eye, no matter how much he wanted to know what was on his mind.

great, now this big idiot will now think I'm a murderer he thought, "not that I'm not," he whispered to himself.

"You're strong, young Haiden." Regor's voice carried a slight tremble. Haiden was overwhelmed by a sudden searing heat over his chest. Regor's arms wrapped Haiden into a warm embrace. The scent of fish and sweat mixed with the smoky aroma of the moist burnt wood and leaves forever to be imprinted into Haiden's memory as a few seconds of confused happiness.

"You oaf...I...can't...breath" Haiden managed to say, but didn't pull back from the embrace. He leaned into Regor's broad chest. His skin prickled and a shiver ran through his spine. It felt good, Regor was the only friend he had made since the accident, aside for his mentor. Haiden relaxed in his companion's bone crushing hug. He doesn't remember experiencing this kind of companionship before, it almost brought him to tears.

After what seemed to be a quiet couple of minutes Regor abruptly broke off the hug and took an awkward clumsy step backward from Haiden.

"I...pack. Yes. We best be moving, ain't got the whole day, young Haiden. No time for tea," He got the pot of boiling water and tossed on the ground and turned his back and quickly directed his attention to his belongings.. Haiden was slightly relieved for not being forced to drink that awful concoction but yearned for Regor's embrace, the warmth quickly being replaced by cold air.

It's for the best, he thought, he didn't know what his body might have urged him to do next if Regor's embrace would have lasted any longer.