Dread Mage

Sonder jolted when something tapped her shoulder.

She toppled over in her surprise. She opened her eyes to find Vell standing there, his staff extended to avoid disturbing the moss she was seated on.

He laughed heartily.

“Did I frighten you?” he asked, his smile wide.

“You did,” she replied, brushing leaves and grass from her clothes.

He had crept up on her silently, like a master thief, just to startle her.

“You were as still as a statue. I was worried the forest had claimed you, and you’d start sprouting leaves like a tree.”

Sonder shook off the remnants of her meditation. “I suppose it wouldn’t be the worst fate. I would want to be an oak—strong and wise.”

Vell leaned against a nearby tree. “Ah, but then you’d miss out on all the adventures of the world. Trees may stand tall, but they see very little beyond their own branches.”

“Some trees do move.”

“True enough. But tell me, what were you doing out here?”

“I was trying to eat.”

Vell looked around, puzzled by the absence of any food.

“I see neither plate, fork, nor spoon. What were you trying to eat?” he asked.

“Light,” she answered. “A tree taught me that you can eat light to sustain yourself.”

“From a tree?” Vell asked, glancing at Pith, who looked like any other tree while resting. “Would it be that one over there?”

“How did you guess?”

“Well, that tree wasn’t here before, so I took a guess. Plus, there’s that peculiar shrub.”

Sonder looked at Pith. “It’s a bit odd, isn’t it? Learning from a tree.”

“Not odd at all. Though I prefer not to rely on light for sustenance. It’s flavorless and not very filling, and it takes a long time.”

“You know how to do it?” she asked.

“Of course. I learned from Boscage years ago. He insisted I eat nothing but sunlight, like he does, with the exception of having a cup of tea here and there. He believes in disturbing nature as little as possible.”

“How long did it take to learn?” Sonder asked.

“Let me think... It was during some of my visits to Boscage. Probably a day or two.”

“Just two days?” Sonder was almost shocked. Pith told her that it would take her months. She knew that Vell was an extraordinary mage, but two days seemed almost like boasting.

“I was reluctant at first, but after Boscage insisted, I learned.”

“I take it you didn’t enjoy it much.”

“It took some getting used to,” Vell admitted. “But over time, I found it liberating. You learn to feel the energy around you and to appreciate the subtleties of life that many overlook. But…” He paused, his expression becoming more serious. “It does come with its own challenges, especially when hunger gnaws at your insides and the sun begins to set. The concept itself isn’t very different from drawing the natural mana in the air.”