Sharian Story: Chapter 3

"Shari, where are we going?" Kaelyn asked.  Shari was sure she had asked him that at least a half dozen times.  Still, he only adjusted her position on his back.  

"We're going to Wizard's Pocket, Kae.  I'll find a job there, and we'll be okay."  He had given her this answer at least a half dozen times.

Fidgeting, Kaelyn changed tactics and whined about the heat.  "I don't know why you're so cool, Shari.  I feel like I'm in our old cooking pot."  The cooking pot had been the only thing to survive the fire, but they had to leave it because of how heavy it was.

Shari set her down with a frown.  "Kae…the sun hasn't even risen all the way yet. It isn't hot."

"Well, I'm still too hot.  I wish I had some other clothes…"  The girl pouted at him, crossing her arms and plopping onto the ground.  "I don't want to go any further. I don't feel good."

"How do you feel?"  Shari kneeled in front of her and pressed the back of his hand to her forehead.  Sure enough, her skin burned to the touch.  He focused on the idea of ice and sent coolness into his hand.  The boy smiled weakly when she leaned heavily against it.

"Tired.  I hurt all over.  It was part of why I fell yesterday, when…"  The tears formed in her eyes, and he watched her swallow.  "When I was trying to get to my bed."

Shari pulled her into his arms again and did his best to cool her with the magic she didn't know about.  "I'm going to have to find you a medic.  Just hang on, okay?"  When she only mumbled something about her head hurting, he picked her up once more and headed down the trail again.  He did his best to amuse her by singing songs their mother had taught them.

It had worked at first.  It wasn't long, though, before the songs reminded them of what they had lost, and Shari fell silent.  Kaelyn cried, eager and soundless, into his shoulder.  He almost joined her but refused.  From now on, he would be strong.  He would never cry again, not when something so valuable depended on him.  

Instead, he quickened his pace.  The town wasn't far, if he remembered correctly.  If it was farther than he anticipated, he wasn't sure what he would do.  He wasn't a skilled enough hunter to keep them fed during the trip, and he didn't have any weapons.  He had been lucky to hit the rabbit they had had two nights ago with the stone he picked up off the road.  Berries were good, but they were hard to find.  And soon, they wouldn't be near the river anymore.

Of course, he could always make the water they needed pool into his hand, but he didn't want to frighten Kaelyn.  Shari still didn't understand why he was able to use magic.  The last thing he could expect from Kaelyn was for her to understand.  

It wasn't until Kaelyn fell asleep in his arms that he allowed his body to heat back up again.  If there was anything he truly hated, it was allowing the power to affect his body like that.  He knew it wasn't good for him, but Kaelyn needed it.  Hopefully, she wouldn't need it again.

Shari walked for hours. There were many times he wanted to stop, but every time he slowed, Kaelyn would whimper, or murmur a thin complaint, or wrap her arms tighter around him.  Every time he quickened his pace.  "A little farther, Kae, I promise. Just a little more."

She shifted a little, pressing her face into his neck.  "Okay, Shari.  Just a little more."

"How long have you been awake?"

"I fell asleep?"

Shari did his best to chuckle.  "A long time ago.  Do you feel any better?"    When she only shook her head, he felt his heart thud in its panic.  He did his best to be soothing as he readjusted her weight and broke into a run.  

"Shari…Shari, slow down,"  she pleaded.  Her arms tightened themselves around his next.  "The bumping hurts."

"I'm sorry," Shari murmured, but he didn't slow.  Instead, he let the speed of the wind propel his feet forward, catching them in its grip as though they were leaves.  It was instinctual, and he felt the edge of control he had begin to fray, but he throttled the magic in his mind and allowed it only what he wanted to.  The trees and bushes around them were buffeted by the wicked airstream, twirling into shapes an designs.  Shari saw their home in flames, their mother in the ground, their father…but he ignored them all.

Quivering, Kaelyn murmured a prayer to Merala and Behitha.  Shari only caught a few words, some of which were "demon" and "Lilith."  He wanted to shush her but didn't.  He wanted to promise her safety but couldn't.  He wanted to slow but wouldn't.  The speed was what he needed to protect his sister.  Of that he was convinced.

Finally, oh, finally, Wizard's Pocket was in sight.  Shari banished the wind but much too quickly.  His feet fumbled on the grass, and they were pitched forward.  The boy did his best to curl himself around his sister as they collided with the hard ground, tumbling over and over again.  It felt like an eternity before they stopped, but Shari knew that it had only been several terrifying moments.  He gently unbundled them and began to check Kaelyn for wounds.

"Are you alright?" he begged, though the question sounded ridiculous to his own ears.  He found no bruises or cuts as he helped her to her feet.

Kaelyn trembled.  She was forced to hang onto him, but she only had fear in her eyes.  "Shari…what are you?"

"Your brother.  Now, come on."  Though she protested, he lifted her into his arms again.  He would be sore later, but it didn't matter now.  Only Kaelyn mattered.  "There's a medic here somewhere."

"But…Shari…Shari, are you…?"  His sister gave in and locked her arms around his neck.  "Shari, are you possessed?"

"No, of course not," he swore.  Then he took the first steps into Wizard's Pocket, meeting each person's questioning gaze with an angry glare of his own.