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cjwritesforyou · 6 days

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Sam's Journey - 3

Sam was starting to get used to camp life. They had been in and out of forests, meadows, whatever you might think of. It had been a few days on the road and he was used to setting it up, lighting the campfire with his fire magic, and getting the tent up quickly.

Max always spent an hour every morning probably scouting ahead, and Cara always sharpened her daggers. He practiced magic during that time, even though his mana practice was running around the clock, he couldn’t always practice spells. He was getting a little better at controlling his magic, and controlling more objects. Sam found it fun to be in more control. He didn’t know what it was.

Whenever Max returned they packed the tent up and got rid of the campfire. This time they were traveling through a few trees, and it took about two hours, but then they hit an opening. And it was beautiful.

For the first time since leaving his village, they spotted another town, one along the coast. Anyone could go in or out, but the natural protection this town had was much different. It was shrouded in forestry, but inside the town was booming with life. Sam read a sign and saw the name “Arboribus.” It was just outside the town, so he assumed it was its name.

They walked through the front arches and into the town. There was a river running through the middle of it, but cobblestone bridges ran over top. There were boats docked at the ocean, and tarps set up at the marketplace. Sam was excited, but Cara and Max looked like they had stumbled upon another town.

They kept walking and went over the bridge in. Sam looked to his right and saw more people walking over another bridge. They were as happy as they could be, and Sam liked that. He wanted to keep that.

They walked toward a building and it read Inn on a sign. Max got the door and they all stepped inside. Max pulled them to the side, out of the door’s way.

“We’ll stay here as long as we can.” He held up a finger with the number two. “We’ll get two rooms here, one for us.” He motioned and looked at Sam. “And one room for Cara. For privacy’s sake.” He looked back at the inn. “We’ll try to get some money working odd jobs or doing something here. According to the map, the next town isn’t close enough by, so we might as well.” Max looked back at Sam. “Good time to read that spellbook.”

“I kind of already finished it,” Sam said.

Max arched an eyebrow. “What spell did you learn?”

“It’s not useful for combat, but I can move bigger rocks now.” Sam seemed excited. “And I know the history behind it all.”

“That is so useful for combat,” Cara said. “What do you mean not useful?”

“It is?” Sam said, dumbfounded. “I can’t move bigger rocks too fast yet, but if I practice it, then maybe…”

“I’m sure there are a lot more spellbooks to find,” Max said. “You should look here.”

“Really?” Sam said eagerly.

“They aren’t that common, though. People won’t just give them up,” Max said.

“Right.” Sam thought for a moment. “What should I do, then?”

“Work for them.” Max smiled. “That’s the best way to earn them.”

“I’ll ask around.”

“That’s what you should do.” Max turned around and looked over the inn. “Let’s get our rooms first, then we can explore the town.” He turned back toward Cara. “Or whatever you do.”

“Ha-hah. You’ll see,” Cara announced.

The group walked to the front desk where a lady was working. Maxwell got them two rooms like he said, and pulled out the money for a week.

“We’ll pay for it as we go,” he said.

“Certainly, sir,” the lady said. “I’ll show you to your rooms.” She started walking away from the table and up the stairs. The three of them followed behind her.

She gave them a pair of rooms right across from each other. Cara went into her room, while Max and Sam went into theirs. The lady made sure they were set, and then left them to themselves.

Sam looked around the room with mystery. A lot of things were too tall for him to grab. There were two beds though. That’s what he liked to see.

“I sleep near the window. Always,” Max said. He put his knapsack down and laid on the bed. Sam looked up at him with confused eyes. Maxwell saw a whiff with one open eye. “It’s still early.” He pulled out his sword and got some rock from his knapsack. It looked like something to sharpen the blade. Like how Cara did in the mornings. “Go find something to do.”

“What is there to do?” Sam asked.

“I don’t know.” He swung his sword around and pointed it at Sam. “You’re going to find out.” He took his sword back and began sharpening it.

“I am?”

“You are. Now go. Shoo.” Max waved him out of the room.

Sam saw his wave and his puckered face and decided to open the door. He checked back one more time, but Max was still shooing him out. He shut the door with a thud. It wasn’t in the newest condition, just an old oak door.

He turned around and found Cara coming out of the room the same time as him. She saw the coincidence and put a hand over her face.

“Did you have to come out then?” she said.

“Did you have to have an attitude?” Sam replied.

“Oh, you’re going to get it.” She prepared to grab him but he beat her swoop , and now he was racing down the wood steps! “Oh, you!” She chased after him.

When he got to the door he swung out left quick and went toward the bridge, tried to find cover. He scurried behind a close-by bridge ledge and waited for the door to open. He waited a few seconds, and then a few seconds turned into thirty, and he was confused. Sam checked over the ledge and didn’t see anyone, but that’s when someone grabbed him from behind.

“Put me down!” Sam shouted.

“Not until you say you’re sorry,” Cara remarked.

“I’m sorry!”

“For what?”

“For saying that. I mean it! Just put me down!”

“You’re sorry, alright.” Cara put him down and took her grip away from the back of his woolen tunic.

“How’d you even get there? I didn’t see you. Or hear you!”

She put a finger to her lips and smiled. “Trade secret!” She laughed and Sam wondered how strong Max and Cara really were. Why did they even need him? If she could do this, and if Max wasn’t even trying… he didn’t get it. “See you soon!” She walked off across the bridge toward the sea and restaurants. It was still mid-afternoon, but it was starting to get late.

He dusted himself off and looked at the village. It was much bigger than his hometown, but something about it still gave that hometown feeling. He took in a deep breath and really felt it.

Sam started walking toward the marketplace. He had to cross another bridge to get there. The whole town was full of bridges. He made his way to the tarps and slowed his pace down to take everything in. There was everything he could think of–and it all looked good. Sam passed by a watermelon stand, and then a pineapple one, and he was already drooling at the thought of having anything.

A pumpkin stand was to his right and he took a gander. They looked sweet, the ones he would want to eat. Sam stopped walking. A man beckoned him from the pumpkin stand.

“I haven’t seen you around here,” he said, looking him up and down. Sam walked up to the pumpkin stand. The man had blue eyes and short black hair. He had a beard that was trimmed up. He looked put together. “Are you traveling through here?”

“Yes,” Sam said, taking in the stand again. The pumpkins did look sweet. “I’m trying to figure out something to do. It’s my first day here.”

“Trying to figure out something to do?” The man rubbed his beard and looked Sam over again.

“I am.”

“What’s your name, boy?”

“Sam. I come from the village a week’s walk from here. Down south.”

“I wish I could say I knew it, but I don’t.” The man looked like he was reassessing him. “The name’s Charles. I run this here pumpkin shop. We have a farm with them growing, so I figured I might as well.”

“Charles. Nice to meet you.” Sam stuck a hand out. He figured it was the right thing to do when meeting someone new. Charles took his hand and shook it firmly.

“So why here, Sam? Why Aboribus Nubibus? Why anywhere?”

“Well, we’re heading north. And this was along the route.”

“Heading north, are you?” Charkes looked concerned and leaned one hand on a pumpkin. He rubbed his beard again. “It only gets less safe, from what I’ve heard.”

“For now, my group will be fine.” He smirked and looked back at the inn.

“At least you’re with a group. That’s good.” Charles took his hand off the pumpkin but still looked like he was thinking. “How long are you here?”

“At least a week.” Sam thought about it some but didn’t want to give any certainties. “Could be more, I think.”

The man got up from the pumpkin stand and walked around the side of it. “I think I’ve got something for you.”

“You do?”

“It’s not the most fun job, but if you want something to do, then you can do it.”

“What is it?”

The man went to the side of Sam and he realized how tall he really was. Charles was even bigger than Max.

“Follow me to the walls.” He started walking and didn’t wait to check if Sam was coming. Sam realized and started going too.

There were a few more shops they passed by, and they all said their hello’s to Charles. They reached the end of the town and Sam saw a similar wall to where they entered from. Really fragile and easy to be broken down. Anyone that wanted–like him–could go in and out. Even though it was a different side of the town, it looked much of the same. Charles stopped, and so did Sam.

Charles pointed at a group of men constructing something. “We’re trying to build our walls up,” he said, rubbing his beard again. “There have been more monster attacks on nearby towns, so we figured we should.”

Sam thought about his old hometown, and how it looked nothing like how it used to. He wondered what this place would look like, but that wonder turned to fear, fear that he didn’t want to see this town get turned into. It was beautiful. The bridges, the shops, and the coastal access. Sam didn’t want to see any of that turned the wrong way. The way his town turned.

“We’re putting up as much of a wall as we can. Around the whole town. I’m organizing it, and I help sometimes, but we don’t have enough people working. A lot of townsfolk are in love with the idea that nothing bad can happen here. But I know better.” Charles clenched a fist and looked at the men working. “It doesn’t matter what we think. They don’t care. We could be attacked by monsters at any second.” He looked back at Sam with wider eyes. “Is this something you’d be interested in? Something you’d want to do? We’d love to have you.”

Sam thought about it a minute and pondered all the things he could do in the town while they stayed there. “What’s in it for me?”

“I could pay you for what you’re worth. Or send you with a big pumpkin. Wouldn’t that be funny!”

“Do you have any spellbooks?”

Charles looked at him dumbfounded. He blinked twice. “Spellbooks?”

“Do you have any?”

Charles looked at him again dumbfounded. His eyes widened a little bit. “I have one. You would want it? Not many kids your age–”

“I’ll do the work. Can I start now?”

Charles was taken aback. “You-you can.” He was startled with how easy it was to recruit another person. Charles didn’t need the spellbook, either. “I can introduce you.”

“Let’s go then!” Sam rolled up his sleeves and started walking toward the men. Charles followed him. It was like he was being led somewhere now.

Charles introduced Sam to the group that was laying the brick down. There were a few men working today–three exactly–and they all wanted to get the brick layed. The brick itself was doubled so it wasn’t as feeble–one layer on each side. Sam could tell they had worked diligently. There were no jutting bricks and the wall they had made so far seemed to be stable.

A man was making bricks on the side and Sam noticed he was ahead of the ones laying the brick. He used his magic to lift the bricks in the air and give them to the bricklayers. They retreated a few feet in panic. Sam put the brick in with his magic and the rest of the men looked at him in awe. Even Charles had stuck around, and his jaw was practically on the floor.

The workers inched their way back with a sort of fascination as Sam kept laying the bricks that were prepared. The men came back closer and stared at Sam with an interest. When they had taken it all in, they talked amongst themselves and devised a system for the best efficiency–using Sam.

For the next few days it was much of the same. Sam woke up and worked on the wall. It wasn’t very special, but it felt special to him. Every time, every day he would wake up before the others he remembered the one thing he had in sight–that spellbook. He didn’t even know what spell it was, but what could that matter. The book gave his bricklaying meaning other than being for the town. Sam cared about the town, but not as much as he did his own. That book though, it was pushing him, it was driving him forward.

“Bricklaying?” Maxwell said one morning.

“Bricklaying,” Sam said, getting on his trousers, and then his tunic.

“Is it fun?” Maxwell brought his sword out. “In all my years–and I’ve been around a while–I haven’t done any bricklaying.” He started using that same rock against the blade.

“I think it’s fun.” Sam got everything ready. “The reward is what I have in my sights, though.” He went to the door.

“Do you do it for the reward?” Max stopped sharpening his blade.

Sam paused at the doorknob. “I think I have to do it for the reward. But there’s more that I do it for.” He turned the doorknob and opened the door.

“Is that so?” He began sharpening his sword again.

“That’s right.” He turned to give Max his attention while closing the door. Max was smiling a little. Sam could’ve sworn it. “I’ll see you later.” Sam waved goodbye, and closed the door.

The walk wasn’t that bad. It was quite scenic, actually. There were tons of bridges, and overhanging trees. People were already setting their market up for the day. What Sam didn’t like about the mornings was the cold. He had grown accustomed to it, but he still wrapped his hands around himself and shivered as he took the closest path to where they finished yesterday.

They were almost done, too. Sam’s help had made them go a lot faster. A lot faster than they were going before. They needed to just finish the day’s work, and the bricklaying would be done. And he’d have his spellbook. The people would be a little safer too, he assumed. Sam smiled at that.

When he got out to the bricks, there was a man missing. The group usually arrived before him, to get prepared. But one man was missing. Charles was there instead. Before Sam could say anything though, Charles spoke as he walked up to the site.

“He called out sick today.” Charles looked back at the group. “So I’m gonna join in. Get this finished with.”

“Don’t you have your pumpkins to worry about?” Sam asked. He stopped right before them. They had already prepared a bunch of bricks for him to lift with his magic.

“Today, we finish the wall. And we need all hands on deck.” Charles gave Sam a wink and a thumbs up. It was too early and too cold for Sam.

They worked throughout the day and took one break for lunch. It was hard work, but they had made good time. They were going to finish it.

At sunset, Sam was lifting up the last of the bricks. Charles took it, and used the last of the cement to make it stick. When they were finished they all fell over. Sam took a seat on a nearby ledge and looked back at the town.

Charles was tired, but he caught Sam’s gaze. “Now all that.” He pointed at the town when he got Sam’s attention. “All that is protected now.” Charles put his hand down and a smile came on his face.

Sam looked back at the town and the bridges, the people walking by, the sea, the marketplace that was closing down for the day, and the beautiful trees that draped overtop. He had taken in the town before, but there was something different about this scene. Something special only he saw. And he liked that. It made him feel lit up inside.

“Your spellbook. Your reward,” Charles said, and Sam looked back at him. “I have it at my home.” Charles stood up and dusted off some dirt on his pants. He looked nothing like he did that morning. He started walking into the town. “Come with me. I’ll give it to you. For everything you’ve done.”

“What about the rest of them?” Sam asked. There were still a few men laying back against ledges, tired from the day.

Charles stopped and turned to face the men. “They’re all volunteers.” He smiled at the men. “They just want what’s best for the town.”

“I see.”

Charles shifted his attention to Sam. “In any case, you helped us a lot. Who knows how long we’d be laying bricks without you.” He started walking again and Sam followed him.

They went over a few bridges and Sam couldn’t help but look at the running water that led out into the sea. It was mesmerizing. They kept walking the stone path and passed some young children out playing. Charles smiled at them and led Sam over another bridge. They walked up some steps, and all Sam could hear was their footsteps. For such a town, he had expected more noise. They got to the top of the steps and Charles turned around.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Charles said.

Sam turned around with him and the whole town came into view. Everything he had passed by, everything he had seen and wondered about was all on display. All from the top of the stairs. It was beautiful.

“It is.” Sam took a deep breath and soaked in the air. It was still soundless, except for a slight gust that hit them from that high. It wasn’t enough to move him, but it was enough for Sam to notice, because besides the town, it was all there was. If he stayed any longer, he feared he might become attached to the town, and never able to leave. He turned back around and faced Charles. “Where’s your place?”

“Right. I almost forgot.” Charles turned back around and went up another set of stone stairs. “This way,” he said. Sam couldn’t believe he walked down these steps everyday. It was too beautiful.

They came to a house draped by a large oak tree that made Sam look up. It was practically hanging down around them. Charles unlocked the wooden door and rubbed off his boots on the mat. Sam did the same and followed him inside. Charles placed his coat on the table and went into the study. Sam was in love with the house. Everything was how it should be kept. His favorite part was the chandelier that hung over the dining table. It hung down so elegantly, so perfectly, that he couldn’t take his eyes off it.

Charles came back from the study with an old book. Thomas watched him come in and he set it on the dining table.

“This is it,” Charles said. “It’s been passed down in my family, for who knows how long… but it was never useful to me. I’m no mage.” Charles looked up at the chandelier with a sort of solidarity. “I can’t use it. No matter how hard I study it, I can’t. So, it’s yours.”

“Just like that?” Sam questioned. He was waiting for some catch.

“You did more than enough to deserve it. I think–and my family would think–it’s going to a good cause. All of Arboribus would think so.” He looked back from the chandelier at Sam and picked up the book. “It’s yours now.” Charles thrusted it into Sam’s hands and he took the book.

Sam stared at the book in his hands and the limitless history it held. “Th-thank you Charles.” He looked up and spotted a glint in Charles’s eye. “I’ll put it to good use.”

“I hope you will,” he said and smiled. “Now go study. It’s almost too late for you.” Charles walked to the door first and held it open for Sam. He was still smiling.

Sam put the spellbook in one hand and walked toward the door. “Thank you for having me,” he said. “I’ll put this–” he pointed to the spellbook. “To good work.”

Charles smiled as he left his house. “I’m sure you will. Take care, now.” Charles closed his door and Sam stepped back onto the stone path.

He took a few steps with the spellbook in hand and he saw it. The town at night all lit up, from the best spot he never knew he needed. Sam stood there in awe for a few seconds and then started walking down the steps toward the inn. It was all beautiful, and that’s why Sam had to force himself forward. He could stay there for hours.

The next morning Maxwell, Cara, and Sam were headed out the inn. Their week was up and they didn’t have more to do. Max gave a thank you to the receptionist and they started walking north. They left the town and exited the brick barrier Sam had constructed that week. Max stopped a moment and smiled.

“You put in some great work,” he said, and looked at the brick lining the edge of the town.

Something about Max’s comment made him light up inside again. It was like he had done something.

“What?” Cara said.

“Don’t worry about it,” Max remarked with a smile. He turned away from the brick and they headed out of the town and back into the forest.

They passed another sign of the town’s name. Sam smiled at it and they continued on into the forest. He forced himself not to look back, to keep moving. When they finally couldn’t see the town anymore, he did look back. There was only forestry and the path. Sam sighed and turned his attention back forward. It was beautiful.

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