Gracisin Quest - Specutaltive Fiction Authors (best large ereader .TXT) 📗

They tell us that even those with wings miss the sky; even those warriors on high want to find the land of Gracisin. It happened so suddenly, taken us all by surprise.

I was chatting idly with some friends, arguing about The Council's recent decision.

“Is there even a way to find the land of Grecisin without being allowed to fly?” I ask my friends. No one knew for sure. There have been stories of adventurers who have walked the length of four flight days to Grecisin, but there are no endings to these tall tales.

 The tales told are from story tellers and not survivors of the travels which made it hard to decide if they should be trusted or not.  I didn’t care what the Council decided; it's time to take action, time to find our home.

From the moment we hatch, wings or not, our heart's desire is to reach Grecisin. So the Council recent ruling that there was no land of our ancestors left everyone confused, pondering what to do next.

After an evening of discussing the matter over drinks, most of my friends decided the Council decision was the law of the land. They left me to go to homes, to mates and family, but I had none of these. I had travelled the land over for treasure finding more trouble than coin to fill my pockets. 

 I had never been one to blindly follow the Council laws, finding myself behind bars on many occasions for my efforts.  I was a man with no government and no home, a thief among men, until I found a treasure that brought me a position and respect in this town.

All my life I have never wanted anything but coin, now that I have it my life has been nothing but boring.  Perhaps the Council ruling has afforded me a reprieve from this constant state of tedium.

I ordered a stronger ale while I pondered a Quest to find Grecisin.

 I knew of three warriors and two winged ones who might be willing to go on this quest with me. The first is a valiant warrior, my closest friend Tom. He is like a brother to me. If I call upon his sword, I know he will have my back through thick and thin. I recalled he spent a good deal of his time throwing knives and winning drinks down at Solsmit's tavern where a certain dark haired maiden had won his heart. 

Then there is the beautiful but deadly Tanisha, she might look like a vision, but she fights like a demon. A martial dancer Tanisha isn't a woman that men trifle with. I wonder what man she has cornered this day?

Lastly, there is Dillon.  A great leader of men, but not the type that anybody would want to pick a fight with! I wave at the barmaid for more ale, thinking about Dillon. He might be a problem, because he's likely to forget that I would be leading this expedition. To be honest, I wished I didn't need him but I know that I could use his help. So therefore I will talk to him about it; maybe persuade him not to try to take the lead. But I know I would need his strength at my left hand with Tom at my right.

Beside me the other winged ones are my siblings Kroat and Alluna. I might not have a mate or a home, but I have family. Although they are thieves in their own rights, Kroat and Allluna are fraternal twins that do most of their jobs together. They share an ability of flight fight. An ancient aerial talent our ancestors created during the fourth dynasty.

Although twins, they each have an individual ability as well. Kroat is a sensitive healer, while Alluna is a dreamer. She dreams what will happen on tomorrow and sometimes the next day too. Their skills make them invaluable assets for this Quest.

When I think about my siblings, I remember it's been years since we were on an adventure together. I would be happy to see them but I wasn’t looking forward to the strife.  Alluna is an impatient and morbid companion because of her ability but Kroat compensates for his sister's disposition with his insufferable cheeriness. Yet, I can’t imagine going on this Quest without them.

As for me, my talent is an enhanced sense which makes me a master tracker. I can track life forms and objects across great distances. We all have talents to bring to this endeavor; the warriors are stout and have military backgrounds, while we have our special abilities.

I downed the last of my ale, paid the barmaid, and made my way back to my dwellings. Tomorrow, I will begin to gather my team.

It took two weeks, but I gathered the five members that will form this expedition. We gathered at the town’s pub so I could explain why I had asked them to come.  “Gracisin,” I began once we had an ale in our hands, “The adventure of a lifetime my friends, to find the land of Gracisin.”

There were mumbling and a few frowns among them after my announcement then their questions. I answered them as best I could.

In the two weeks it took them to reach the town. I did some research in the historical archives, what little there was left of the records of that day. And found that after our world erupted into chaos after a world war, which eventually divided our planet and then our species, the city of our ancestors was lost.  I found a general zone in which to start, but little else.

 “We will not only be rich, but famous,” I concluded my pitch, a smile.   I knew that they all were rich, either through thievery or mercenary work; hook or crook, but there was one thing that had eluded them over the years.  Fame was something they could not steal or bride to achieve through acquisition.  It took little convincing after that, they all agreed it was a quest worthy of their time, talent and effort.

Dillon said, "Here is a list of things we will need for the journey, this is it no more, and no less."

"Let me see," I said. He handed me the list. “We need rope, weapons, food, medicine, blankets, clothes...." I continued to read the long list while the others half listened. We were all experience journeymen and knew what was needed for a journey of this scale.  

"You all will be needing my wisdom as well", an old voice was heard over the low hum of the pub. We all turned toward the sound and saw an Ancient with tattered wings, light down in our midst. D'nte was an old soul and ancient herbal healer, a magi of wisdom and a very dear friend.

 I turn away from the Ancient and tore the list into six pieces, "We will all take a part of the list, gather our supplies, and meet here at dawn."

"We’ll be back," Alluna and Kroat spoke in unison. They each took a piece of the list and flew off into the sky together. The others gather up their list as well and moved out slowly. I watched as Tom and Tanisha walk out together, it made me smile. I gathered my piece as D'nte, the Ancient cackled with glee eager for the upcoming trek.

"You aren't invited, old woman," I said, tucking away my torn bit of the list. “We don’t know what we will face out there, or how long it will take for us to find Gracisin or if we ever will.” I turned to look into her purple eyes, placing a hand on her thin shoulders. “Respectfully D’nte, you can’t go you will only slow us down.”  She only laughed more.

"No no," she replied with a pleasant smile. “You misunderstand. I must stay here and watch after my plants. Besides I would be no help with my old bones." She opened her cloak to remove something, while pushing the items off the table. The old woman then winked at me, although she knew she was too old for a journey such as this, she did however have something to tell me. She revealed what she had, it was a map, but a map of what, I pondered watching D'nte unravel it across the table.  The shrill frail map looked a lot older than D’nte’s own weather-beaten skin. “What is this,” I asked the magi.

“It’s a map to Gracisin,” she cackled low. She did something with her hands and it was as if we were in a bubble. I couldn’t hear anything outside and I knew that no one could hear what we said inside.

 “But how…”I frowned down at her. There were no known maps to Gracisin, at least none that the Council or anyone else has heard of and plenty have looked.

“We Magi have our secrets young one,” she smiled toothless. “Just know that if anyone knew you had this it will spell your death.”

I reached out and touch the worn tattered map. “Thank you D’nte.”

She nodded, pleased. "Remember the journey you will travel is going to be dangerous, there are unforeseen spirits that want you to fail, but if you follow the woods and the river they will always lead you to safety," she replied as she pointed to the areas on the map. “This is your path, it will lead you home.”

She turned from the map to give me a very serious look and said, "Watch Dillon, I know him, he has his own agenda, and it might not be the same as yours."

A prickle across my shoulder made me turn my head, just as Dillon turned his head. He had just stepped into the pub with his load and had been staring at us, trying to ease-dropping on our conversation. He dropped his gear at the door and nodded to me. I nodded back wondering what she had meant by that, and got another prickle, this time in my gut.

Dillon turned his back on us and pretended he hadn’t been trying to listen as he headed to the bar. “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer,” D’nte said, folding up the map just as the bubble burst.

The old woman handed me the map so Dillon wouldn't see what it was and then she was gone, just as mysteriously as she had appeared.

I neatly folded the map into my pack before approaching my friend with a warm smile, but thoughts of D'nte warming continued to register in my mind.

“I guess it’s time I gathered what I’ll need for the journey.” I stood next to him at the bar.

“I have everything on my list and a few things that aren’t. I’m ready to go whenever.” He didn’t look at me but down at his ale.

“We’ll get started at dawn.” Dillon nodded his agreement.  I turned to walk away.

Unaware that Dillon gave me a suspicious look as I started out the door to get my supplies, but before I cross the threshold he asked, "What'd the old hag