Garimoores
#1 of Garimoores
There are two types of worlds in this universe: One where the lives and worlds of animal and man stay separate and one where the two meld into one. The second world is where this story comes from, on a world called Garimoores.
Here, there are three worlds within a world: the world of men, hardworking, loyal and sometimes greedy. The world of animals, the truthful and sensing. And the world between, the world of the Amesti. Half human, half beast, yet can become either at will. Each world is divided. The animal world is divided into two categories; prey and predator. The human world is divided into three; the ruling, the protecting and the working.
The Amesti are divided into four; the chiefs, the warriors, the workers and the Magicsters.
Magicsters are Amesti with sparkling blood in their veins and heartstones around their necks. A heartstone is the source of a magicster's power. It must be with him or her at all times or else, in a matter of days, he or she will die.
The heartstones come in different kinds, depending on how they are used: healing, power, courage, wisdom, life and death.
Heartstones of life and healing belong to magicsters who wished to aid both men and animals. They are known as the Nature Amesti.
Heartstones of power and wisdom are often seen on Magicsters who are chiefs or who guide the warriors. They are known as Battle Masters.
Heartstones of death and courage are worn by the Magicsters who are troops or Spaorés.
This story is about a threat that all the races defeated and the young magicster who helped save her people.
~ Chapter one~
" 'Fourteen years ago, a child of no more age that five was found in the frosts of winter. She was taken in by the village's battle master, Ahiin, and his maiden fair, Roëlin. They found the child had no name and therefore called her Namiko.
"'Ahiin taught her how to defend herself. At age six she could use a bow with such skill she almost surpassed a Spaoré. At age ten she could fight armed and unarmed. At age eleven, Namiko cut her finger while helping Roëlin cook. Roëlin, when going to treat the wound, noticed that Namiko had blood that sparkled. They had a magicster in their midst and hadn't even known.
"And now, after eight years of preparing you for the challenges you may face as a magicster, you are finally ready to accept your fate, Namiko." said Ahiin.
His mouth curved into a proud smile as he looked at the girl he had raised. A magicster who did not need her magic to protect her, a daughter to be proud of.
"It is not a fate, Ahiin," replied Namiko. "It's an occupation."
"Very wise, Namiko, you will make a fine Magister, I have no doubt."
"But today begins your pilgrimage. Are you nervous?" Asked Roëlin.
"A bit." Replied Namiko. "I have to ask again, Ahiin: What must I do to get to the human city of Apein?"
"The town merely lies at the base of the mountain. Follow the trails and you will get there fine."
"Something tells me otherwise." Namiko thought.
Namiko exited the hut that belonged to the lupine couple, and then turned her own feline eyes to the sky. The clouds above were grey, shielding the sun from view, making everything shaded even though it was clearly almost noon. The blanket of snow already apparent on the ground about the village will soon be added to.
"Hello, Dune kitten." Came a familiar voice.
"It's Namiko, Dero." Was the feline Amesti's reply.
"Whatever." Dero curved his canine, white furred lips into a smirk. "Setting out on your journey now, Kitten?"
"Yes. " Namiko said calmly.
"Nothing will happen you know."
Namiko turned her stare to Dero. He was leaning on the support beam of his family's hut. This white, lupine male was so overly confident and his ego was about the same size as the mountain on which the village was atop of. It didn't help that his father was on the village council, this added to his privileges and bragging rights. Right as she turned, his smirk grew wider.
"Don't you know? Dune-Dwellers can't be Magicsters. They always fail."
"I am not a Dune-Dweller and therefore I will not fail."
"You're train of thought for argument is indeed entertaining. Especially since you're trying to prove what everyone else knows wrong." He stopped leaning on the support beam and came out of the hut to begin circling the feline apprentice. "If you are not a Dune-Dweller, then explain the marks around your eyes, the tan color of your fur, and the rings on your tail. These are traits of a Dune-Dweller are they not?"
The wolven male stopped in front of Namiko and looked her in the face. "Well, explain it. How can you not be what you look like?"
"Simple," said Namiko. "You look like a leader, but everyone knows that you are just an overconfident, self-centered son of a -"
"Namiko."
Namiko turned to see Ahiin in the doorway of his home. She automatically faced him and knelt. "Yes, Ahiin?"
"One of the most important things about becoming a Magicster is not letting your emotions get in the way."
"I know, Ahiin. I'm sorry."
Namiko felt the air blow softly and her feline nostrils twitched. She recognized the scent from somewhere, but she couldn't put her claws on what it was.
"Before you begin down the southern mountain path, I would go to Galon." Ahiin suggested.
"The weapon maker?"
"Yes, I asked him to make you a special weapon. Go pick it up."
Namiko nodded, and stood. She stood and walked passed Dero, whispering as she passed: "I will not fail."
? ? ?
Ahiin had said to follow the southern path to the human village at the base of the mountain. But, after the snowfall that she had predicted, Namiko was having a hard time finding the path. She was beginning to grow weary of trudging through the snow. She found a tree to rest under and sat down. She hadn't sat down for more than two seconds when she jumped back up again, yowling in annoyance. She had been poked in the back by something long and made of wood. Rubbing the sore spot on her back, she turned to see she had been poked by the sheath of a sword. Namiko was suddenly struck with an idea. Warriors from long ago fought on these mountains. She began to dig frantically around the tree. Sure enough, there was a skeleton of a warrior from the warring days. And there was his shield. Grinning, Namiko pried the shield from the frozen, fleshless hand of the warrior and laid it in the snow. The journey could go faster this way. She sat herself inside the shield and put the end of her staff in the snow. Then she pushed.
As Namiko, sled down the mountain, using her staff to steer, she was relieved to see the human town of Driaeda come into view. Roofs glistening with freshly fallen snow, smoke rising from the blacksmith and bakery work places, the mysterious tower to the Northeast, and the protective wall around the whole picture. Her ears twitched as the sound of horns arose from the small mountain village, alerting the inhabitants of an unforeseen and unexpected arrival. The gates were closing now, and Namiko had no way of stopping the shield. Thinking at the last minute, she jumped off of the shield and landed tail first in the snow before the massive gates. A guard atop the gate then addressed her.
"Who goes there?"
"Namiko of the Amesti Mountain Tribe."
"What business have you?"
"I seek shelter and food. That is all."
"Very well, you may enter."
And with that, the calls to operate the gates mechanisms were heard down the line to allow this new comer passage into Driaeda.
The village wasn't very busy compared to what Namiko had been told of human villages. She had been told of humans rushing and bustling to and fro, gathering materials for businesses and groceries for their families. Instead, all she saw were quiet streets and very few people. Red and orange sparks were flying from the blacksmith's hammer striking the heated metal on the anvil. It was clear that he was making weapons and armor for the warriors. The blacksmith turned from his work to face Namiko.
"'Ello, what c'n I do for ya?"
Surprised by the voice, Namiko blinked. This was no man, though appearance made it seem that way. This is a young woman standing before Namiko! She looked behind the blacksmith at the completed shields, swords and armor. This woman was extremely talented in her field.
"I said 'What c'n I do for ya?'"
"Oh! Sorry. I was noticing your handiwork."
"Nice idn't it?"
"It is."
"I'm the best smivy in this village, y'know."
Namiko looked in all directions and saw no signs of there being another blacksmith in the village.
"But, you're the only blacksmith here."
"Ma point exact- OI! Get back 'ere!" The blacksmith said as Namiko turned away. Then, after looking in all directions, motioned for her to come closer while reaching below the counter. "I'm goin' ta tell ya something only tha soldiers know about this shop."
Namiko came closer as the woman pulled a strange stone with a glowing symbol engraved upon it.
"...Runes?"
"Yes, I can add runes ta increase yer attack powa. I can even engrave runes ta take health from yer enemies."
"Interesting. I will remember that."
With that, Namiko left to explore the rest of the human village. She was finally able to find the inn by sundown and rest.
Namiko awoke the next day and left the inn to ask around for information. More often than naught she got the same answer for her question.
"I don't know anything about your Magicster pilgrimages. Sorry."
She didn't expect anyone to have answers, but a little help with the journey would be nice. After asking around a bit more, she was given some useful information.
"I dunno about your pilgrimage but the wizards in the Tower might." Said the village butcher, pointing to the Tower to the northeast of the village.
Her next stop.
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Finding the way to the Tower wasn't too difficult...Namiko was just having a difficult time getting over the fact that the Tower was hovering!
"...Well at least they have stairs going to the door."
Namiko was let in by a young apprentice boy. He led her up a flight of stairs that seemed could wrap around the world itself. He informed her that the wizards in the Tower were expecting her.
"You see, these wizards are clairvoyant, they can see the future. And they saw you coming, see?"
"I see. Are you studying this 'clairvoyance'?"
"No. I'm studying medicinal magic. But I need to learn all the basics before I can choose a specific path, so I'm being taught clairvoyance."
"Now, Jonathon, don't bore our guest."
An elderly man stepped into the light cast down by the window. His hair was a shining silver and he wore long robes that hung down to his feet. He had a staff of wood curved into a perch upon which sat a pure white hawk.
Jonathon bowed at the waist.
"I apologize, Master Ailfen."
Namiko followed Jonathon's example and bowed at the waist.
"Rise, Namiko." Ailfen turned and motioned for her to follow him back into his study, closing the door behind her and Jonathon once they entered. "You want help for your pilgrimage, correct?"
"Yes. I don't want to make mistakes. This is an important journey that I've trained my whole life for."
"I see." Ailfen stroked the hawk. "Would you allow me to examine your hand?"
"My paw?"
She showed Ailfen her hand, palm up. What happened next was too quick to see. All Namiko saw was a glint off of something shiny. After the glint, there was a pain in her hand and a knife in Ailfen's.
"Oi! What was that for?" Namiko whined.
"A true magicster has sparkling blood. We must make sure you are not a fake."
Namiko went to lick the wound on her hand but Ailfen pulled her hand into the light to inspect it. Ears laid flat, Namiko waited patiently. After a good amount of time, she pulled her hand back and licked at the cut.
"Warn a cat when you're about to do something like that."
"My apologies. But I had to see for myself. And I had to get some of your blood before I dowsed for someone to help you on your journey."
Namiko's ears perked hearing the unfamiliar word. "Dows?"
"It's a way of searching with your mind. Using your blood as a way to connect you to the person I'm searching for, I can't go wrong."
Jonathon stepped forward. "Master Ailfen, might I attempt to dows for this person? I've improved from the lessons."
"No, Jonathon, this needs a trained mind. Plus, if you get the wrong person, it will tatter our reputation as teachers."
Ailfen went over to his desk, upon which were many papers and quills and books. He shifted some of the clutter and returned with a map of the village. He reached into his robes and pulled out a string which had a pure white stone attached to the end. Namiko had to hold back her playful, childish urge to swipe at the stone and make it swing. The wizard wiped the blood onto the stone and the string. Then he held the stone over the map, closed his eyes, and muttered strange words she couldn't understand. The stone swung in a clockwise circle, never speeding up or slowing down. It made Namiko dizzy. The wizard moved his hand over the map slowly, never exceeding the illustration of the wall around the town on the map. Namiko noticed that Jonathon didn't seem comfortable with the awkward silence. He kept shifting from foot to foot and fidgeting with his hands and sleeves. His eyes kept darting from the map, to the stone, to Ailfen, to Namiko and back.
"What could he be nervous about?" Namiko wondered.
The trio sat in silence for a few long moments. Namiko decided to look around the study. Walking around, she found many interesting objects: crystals, candles, jars with odd smelling liquids and other contents, boxes labeled "Dried dragon's tongue" and "Pegasus feathers" and other such things. She figured that these were ingredients that the wizards and apprentices needed for potions and divination.
"I've found him." Ailfen said. Namiko looked up from the peacock feather quill she was batting at to see the stone resting on the illustration of the eastern gate. "He's entering the town now. Hurry Namiko."
Namiko walked to one of the doors in the study, opened it, and closed it behind her. It wasn't long after she had exited that door that she entered again and tried another door. She poked her head back into the study.
"Which door is the exit?"
Ailfen rubbed his temples and asked Jonathon to show her the way out.
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Perhaps it was the time of day that Namiko had arrived the previous day, because now the human town was very lively. Children were dragging parents and shoppers were buying their food. Every time Namiko passed someone on the way to the Eastern Gate, they would turn and watcher her leave or follow her with their eyes. Namiko didn't like it; it was like she was some sort of creature spoken of in legends that was more likely to be seen in an illustration than in real life. A small child even pulled her tail as she passed, making her yowl and draw attention to herself. She noticed that a lot of the townspeople were heading towards the Eastern Gate.
Arriving at the gate, Namiko found a crowd of people trying to see what was going on. The gates creaked open and she started pushing her way through the crowd.
"Excuse me. Pardon me." She said to various people. Then she finally reached the front and halted. She didn't like the looks of this...