Orphan 3
It was like something out of one of those super-secret spy stories, and KiNa was sneaking accordingly. True, there wasn’t anything to sneak from. True, it was only SoYa who was leading him down a worn path through the forest. Yet, he had been sworn to secrecy on what he was about to see, so that called for a first-rate sneak-walk.
Every now and then, SoYa would glance back at him and raise one eyebrow. He must have been impressed. That just encouraged KiNa to redouble his sneaking efforts.
Before long, they came to a place where the forest was divided by a wide river. It didn’t look very deep, but there was something strange in the way the place felt. It was layers of feeling. One layer gave an oppressive feeling, like something was working to keep people away from the place. But the other feeling, the stronger one, called to him.
That feeling was both strange and familiar. KiNa wasn’t sure he liked it.
When SoYa began making his way over the river by walking across a make-shift rock path, the boy paused. Something within him spoke clearly; if he crossed this river, his life would change. For ever and ever. Once he saw the secret place where SoYa led him, he wouldn’t be able to go back, even though the man promised that KiNa would never be held against his will.
Still, the boy agreed to become SoYa’s student. He thought about it for a while and came to the conclusion that the man seemed genuine and nice enough. KiNa had nothing better to do, anyhow. Learning from a real mind mage sparked curiosity in him, especially due to SoYa’s reaction back during supper.
And there would be free food.
So with all those things in mind, KiNa stood at the edge of the bank, bent his knees and swung his arms back and forth to get momentum. With a good, solid jump, his feet met with the top of the first rock. The stone was wet, and there were holes in the bottom of KiNa’s make-shift shoes that quickly informed him of this fact.
Looking up, the boy could see SoYa waiting for him on the other side. Not to be outdone by an adult, KiNa began to bound over the tops of the rocks with artistic flourish. SoYa had that raised eyebrow look again, surely one of admiration.
The forest on the other side of the river was deep and silent. The sensation he felt was stronger now, prompting him to ask, “What is that?”
“What?” SoYa responded.
“That feeling.”
“This place is protected by the magic of a large Stone. Sort of like the crystals,” the man answered.
“Oh,” KiNa frowned, darting over to catch up to the man as they walked. “What’s a crystal?”
SoYa gave him a quiet look. “I’m sorry… that’s true. You haven’t seen one before, have you?”
The boy shook his head.
“There are people in our world who are crystal masters. They’re very rare. Even more rare than us mind mages,” SoYa explained. “They have a connection to this world. Or, at least I think they do, since all of them were born here. These people can take the energies and elements of the planet and empower crystal stones that we’ve found here.”
“Wow… and that’s what makes energy in the city?” KiNa asked.
“Why, yes. That’s a clever assumption, KiNa,” the man praised him, looking surprised.
“I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how all the lights worked and how they were connected to the energies in the trees. So maybe it was the crystals,” the boy mused.
“You… spent time trying to figure out the lights?” SoYa repeated slowly. “Why?”
“Because I wanted to know what made it work,” KiNa kicked at a stone on the path. Until then, he didn’t consider the idea that someone was filtering and gathering the energy into some sort of container, then redistributing it. But that made a lot of sense.
“So you like to figure out how things work?”
“Yeah,” the boy answered enthusiastically. Then he asked, “Don’t you?”
“Sure,” SoYa tilted his head back. “I wondered more about the source of the planet’s power, though. But I was still curious.”
“I guess the magic and the devices work together somehow,” KiNa murmured to himself. He made a mental note to try and figure all that out later. But for now, he had the spy hideout to look forward to.
A wide glade opened up before him, lit with streams of sunset light. Tiny glow-bugs swayed in clouds among the branches and the sound of night-chirps was loud in his ears. Forest night was certainly different sounding than nighttime in the city.
At first he didn’t realize that the house was built between the huge pillars of tree roots. When his eyes traced the structure up along the towering trunk, he was in awe. The structure didn’t have the same cold strength as the stone buildings of the city. Rather, it had a warm vitality – even the wood face of the house seemed alive, as if the tree extended its spirit to the walls and the doors.
“Is this… it?” KiNa breathed, watching SoYa walk up to the doorway.
“Do you like it?” the man asked throwing a smile over his shoulder. He already knew the answer, but KiNa spoke anyhow.
“This is really cool!” the boy rushed up behind him, eager to see what things looked like on the inside.
It was somewhat rustic, but welcoming within the house. The structure was circular in design, leaving no real corners or angles. One large main room connected many smaller rooms through doorways and arches. Because they were within the roots of the tree, no flame was used for heat or light. Instead, small stones glittered warmly along the walls and on the large, round table. The boy realized these were the crystals that SoYa spoke of… or at least, small ones.
“We haven’t done much decoration yet. You’re the first one besides the Ingway to come here,” SoYa told him, waving one hand over the crystal on the table. Instantly, light leapt from the stone, filling the room with a soft, warming glow.
KiNa was already busy exploring, poking his nose in doors and cupboards. “What’s an Ingway?”
“They’re…” the man began, then stopped. “Well, they’re hard to explain. You’ll have to see them for yourself. I’m sure you probably will tomorrow. They come here pretty often.”
“Okay,” the boy said, too engrossed in his exploration to worry about it.
“I was thinking that maybe this room can be yours,” SoYa told him, opening one door at the far back of the main room.
“I get a whole room?” KiNa squeaked and rushed over to see it.
SoYa lit the room with another wave of his hand. It wasn’t very large, but it was more than the boy had ever been given.
The bed was nothing more than a soft layer of cloth and blankets on the floor, but it was certainly better than the stone of the streets. A small sturdy table and chair stood at one end of the room, as well as a mirror and a wash bowl. The walls were bare except for random colored strings and twine that hung from the rafters and knots in the wood. One little window sat snug, opening his vision to the night-lit glade outside.
“I didn’t know that I’d have anyone here so soon… so there’s not much for a bed,” the man apologized.
He didn’t need to. The boy was already rushing in and making the place his. “Wow! This is great!”
“There are no toys or anything. Maybe I could bring something from up at the house,” SoYa murmured to himself.
“Toys?” KiNa gave him a funny look. No one ever worried about toys on the street.
“Well, nevermind that,” the man told him, patting him on the head. “There’s a stream in the glade for fresh water. We’ll get you cleaned up and see what we can find for clothes tomorrow. How does that sound?”
“Awesome!”
“Awesome?” SoYa arched his eyebrow again.
KiNa now fully felt he made the right choice. Overwhelmed by everything there, it was hard to believe that anyone would choose to take him in, feed him and give him his own room.
Being alone and on the street, the boy never made many connections to others. It was hard to trust or make lasting friendships. It was hard to show affection when no one taught how. He had no parents to care for him, hug him and give encouragement. But he had seen enough children to know how it was done.
“Thank you,” the boy said, sincerely. Then, wrapping his arms around SoYa’s waist, he gave the first real hug that he could ever remember giving.
“You’re welcome,” SoYa hugged him back.