The Mistakes Of Misfits

      We walked for what must have been an hour or two before Varrin slumped against the wall. His face was drained of most of its color and the only movement seemed to be from his ragged breaths. “I… I need to rest.” He muttered between deep rasps. I hated to admit it, but I probably could use a rest as well. 

       We both knelt down and Varrin made a fire… or he attempted to make a fire. He must have rubbed sticks together in vain for at least twenty minutes before he became too frustrated. “Fuck this.” He said frustrated and shot a small bolt of fire at the bundle of twigs. 

      The fire roared to life. Even though he had successfully made a fire his frustration had taken over his features. “Good job ace, it only took you twenty minutes.” I made sure to be as painfully sarcastic as possible, retribution for his constant irritation. 

       Varrin raised an eyebrow. “Ace?” He asked me. His face was covered in sweat still and his hair fell a bit over his eyes. He was so unkept compared to his usual look.I realized in that moment the mage used his own magic to keep himself looking so clean. It didn't seem like he had enough energy to put into his magic.

        I shrugged. “You seem to do everything so well. I thought I would give you a fitting nickname.” I curled my mouth into a mischievous smirk. He wasn't the only one who could play this game. I wasn't the dumb beast he thought I was. 

        Varrin seemed too tired to retort properly. He just hung his head. It almost looked like he was going to pass out here and now but as soon as I put one of the large chunks of meat on the fire his head shot up. He was starving, as I was. We both had so much exercise. without any nourishment that our bodies would most likely give out soon. He looked up at me. “Why did your people attack us?” He asked. “You're an ass but you don't seem like the raping and pillaging monster I've heard about. Why go out and kill mages?”

        I looked down at my pack. Should I tell him? He seemed so oblivious to the truth. Maybe he could tell me what was really going on. I reached into the pack and pulled out the knife. It was a beautiful purple with a small skull engraved into the hilt of the blade. Three gems grazed across my fingers and even though I couldn't feel the hum of the magic, the shine on each gem made it clear magic was stored in them. Varrin lifted his head, presumably feeling the magic coming off of the knife. “What the hell is that? He asked. 

         I held the knife tight. “I took it off the body of an assassin who came to kill my chieftain. The assassin carried this blade and it almost seemed to enhance his spells” I remembered the night. I remembered the bodies the assassin had made before we put him down. 

       Varrin cocked his head as he studied the knife. “May I see it?” He asked. I hesitated for a moment out of instinct. Varrin laughed. “For fucks sake orc if I wanted you dead I would have left you with the bug!” 

       I had no reason not to trust him at this point. Or I guess I just didn't have a choice. “Don't break it ace.” I told him as I tossed the knife. Varrin caught it gingerly and studied the blade for a moment. His eyes danced with wonder like the gems embedded in the hilt. 

        “Fascinating.” He muttered. Varrin waved his hand over the knife and the gems glowed even brighter. “This is magical all right, but it's not magic from the weave. It seems to be coming from another plane of existence.” His words were quiet, as if saying that out loud might upset someone listening. 

         I was baffled at all of this talk of weaves and planes. “I'm gonna need an explanation.” I told him. I knew enough of the mages to fight them but I knew nothing of their powers' origins. 

          He chuckled and nodded. Forgetting I had no idea what he was saying. “Every mage channels power from the weave. It is another plane of existence made of pure magical energy. Of course we only pull enough power to perform whatever spells we need. That's why we need to learn to channel.” He saw my indifferent face and let out a small cough. “To sum it up, I pull my power from the weave, this knife and its owner pull their power from somewhere else entirely.” 

          I took in the information. That couldn't be possible. The mages made sure that there weren't any mages outside of their city. Any mages who tried to leave were wiped of all memories. I shook my head. “Why should I believe you? How do I know you aren't just trying to trick me and protect your kind?” 

           Varrin shrugged. “You don't have to trust me… but the truth is I have no idea where this is connected to. It's not the mages.” He flipped the dagger and held the handle out to me. “If it helps… I actually believe you.” I lifted my hand slowly and took the knife from him. 

         “Who else would it be?” I asked him. He seemed so genuine. So innocent at this moment. He didn't seem to have the energy to lie to me. 

        He pulled the meat off of the fire and put another on the spit. He studied the knife in my hand. “I don't know.” He admitted. “Whatever it is, it's powerful and old. I could feel that knife as soon as you pulled it out. Magic practically radiates off of that blade.” He devoured his meal and leaned up to me. “Maybe we'll find a culprit before we have to kill each other… now stand still.” He put a hand on my arm and pumped what little bit of magic he had left onto it. 

        I felt that comforting warmth of healing magic once again run through my body. He moved down on my body and I felt a warmth rush over me as his hands touched the skin right under my breast. The cuts on my chest slowly started to heal and it took every ounce of self control to not react to the feeling. To not arch my back at the sudden warmth on the exposed skin. I wasn't quite sure if that rush of heat was fully from the magic or from his hands being on me so intimately. He stopped for a moment on my skin and I swore I saw his face heat. I kept my eyes locked on him as he surveyed the now exposed skin under my breast. I… did I want him to move  closer to me? What the fuck was wrong with my brain?

             Varrin finally pulled away his hands, most likely getting the same thoughts as myself and the wounds on my chest had healed almost completely. “Thank you” I muttered to him. After everything, after hearing maybe his people weren't behind the attack on my people. He at least deserved a thank you. 

       Varrin looked down at me as he stood over me. “What was that?” He asked sarcastically “I had to have heard that wrong.” I pushed him and regretted the small bit of compassion I had been feeling for a moment. 

         “Go fuck yourself mage.” I muttered. Varrin hit the wall and just laughed as he slid down on the wall, back to a sitting position. He kept that smile even as exhaustion claimed his body and he fell to sleep. I only let myself chuckle after he was already asleep. I hated the mage… but I wouldn't act like he wasn't amusing at the least. 

           We both took our shifts at watch. We needed the extra bit of sleep before we could continue. Who knew what could be down these tunnels. It would still be a few days before we made our way to the exit on the Jorhasian plains. Neither of us had said much at first. The weight of the small revelation still racked both of our minds. He had to be lying. There was no way that another kind of mage just happened to attack us. I would convince myself of that until I could get a second opinion. He had seemed so genuine. I… I almost believed him. 

        We walked for hours. The snaking tunnels of the passage held nothing but stone and darkness. Varrin finally broke the silence as we walked. “What's that necklace for?” He asked. My heart sank. How did he know? I was discreet, I had made sure he never saw the pendant. 

      “I… I have no idea what you're talking about.” I told him. I wasn't able to keep my tone even. Despite me trying with all my might. My hands shook a bit. How much could I tell him? How much would he believe?

       Varrin let out a soft chuckle. “You are many things orc, subtle isn't one of them. I saw you grabbing something on your chest and when we ran I saw a little pendant swaying below your neck. I assumed the two were connected.” I hadn't stashed the necklace before our little run. I hadn't had time. 

        I sighed. I could spin some lie about it being a good luck charm but he probably would see through the lie. I stopped and pulled out my necklace. The bright blue gem glowed in the magelight. Below the gem stood a slender woman holding a bow. “It's a guidance pendant. I serve the goddess of the hunt, Atica.” The true nature of my skills were shown bare. Varrin's face didn't change though. He looked mildly curious, but no judgment in those bright blue eyes. 

         “The goddess of the hunt fits… but I thought orcs worshiped the elemental spirits. Your tribes are even based on the elements.” He was right about that. My tribe was the Roven, the tribe of earth. Most of not all other orcs worshiped those spirits. I had different experiences though. I… my mind went to that night. The blood. The cries of the bear. I shuddered at the thought of the night I accepted the goddess. 

      Varrin must have seen my face change because he put a hand out. “It's alright, we've already had a lot of info thrown at us lately. I won't put anything else heavy on us.” I… I appreciated that, not that I would ever tell him. 

       We turned down another snaking tunnel, the light of my goddess guiding my way. We needed off of the heavy conversations. I turned to him. “What do mages do for fun?” I asked him. 

       Varrin raised a brow at me more at the innocent question than he did when I told him about my goddess. “Why do you want to know?” He asked me. Those blue eyes forced on my face. He wasn't confrontational, he was just very confused. 

         I shrugged. “Making conversation, and we're running out of secrets to spill to each other. What do you do for fun?” It was an honest, if not childish question. Something that we wouldn't have to think about too much. 

        Varrin shrugged after a moment of thinking. “We don't have a ton of free time. I guess sometimes we go watch duels in the arena when it isn't being used for graduation.” He seemed so confused by the question. Like he didn't have any hobbies or wants. 

        I shook my head in amazement. “You're telling me you have the power to move the earth and the skies and you don't have any fun with that? Not even… some kind of cool sport you all invented.” I was baffled by his indifference. If I had that kind of power… there's no telling what kinds of things I would do with those abilities. 

       Varrin once again just shrugged. “We fight, train and fuck. Anything else is seen as a distraction.” He spoke like a soldier, devoid of the life and fun I had seen from him before. 

       I raised my brow at him. “Fucking isn't a distraction?” I asked him. Varrin Let out a smile and a laugh left those lips. 

         “It's a needed reprieve.” He countered. “We could die any day in those halls, it gets really, really stressful.” There I saw it. The scars on his shoulders from years of fighting. The dark look in his eyes from watching friends die. Varrin was… a warrior like me. We carried different weapons and came from far off lands but I could see that spirit in him. From the way he looked back at me I knew that same understanding was flowing through his head as well. 

       We climbed up another tunnel, this one was slanted upwards to the point where we had to use our hands to climb the sloped surface. At the end of the passage I saw a very unexpected sight. There was light. A bright sunlight that pierced through the darkness we were in. “Is that what I think it is?” I asked

        Varrin stiffened at the sight. “That doesn't make sense. We should have days before we get to our exit.” He was correct of course. The jorhasian plains were supposed to be about three days away. I couldn't help my stupid excitement though and I moved into a sprint toward the light. My heart raced and my spirit felt light as I felt the warmth of the summer sun set on my skin. 

        The light consumed my body for a moment and I took in the warm glow of the sun. Varrin ran into the light behind me and I didn't even bother facing him as I backed in the fresh air. We had made it out, we had made it home. I opened my eyes assuming I'd see the gorgeous grassy plains of my people. 

      My eyes held a very different sight. Before me was a massive mountain range coated in dark moss. Varrin gaped beside me. “These are the Alabaster mountains.” He muttered. My mind raced in fury and worry. The Alabaster mountains were on the east side of Tayrin. Somehow we were now weeks away from home.