The Ruby Magician

Wyn slumped back in his chair, wiping his face with his hands. He enjoyed strategy and had less anxiety with a plan, but after climbing all day he was exhausted. Tasha sat down in a chair across from him, holding a page with her finger in a Divine Magician spellbook.

“Don’t fall asleep yet,” Tasha said. “We’re almost done!”

“I’m sorry,” Wyn said, rubbing his eyes. “After climbing earlier, getting your new equipment and testing them out in the training hall I’m wiped. You might as well be singing a lullaby having me read at the end of a long day.”

Tasha laughed. “It’s not that bad. It’s how I get more information! So choosing Flash was genius on your part. I never would’ve thought about using it!”

Wyn sat up and took a deep breath. “Well you have to be close, and as you know, most Mages don’t really want to be close to their enemies. It works for my skill set, though.”

“It definitely does.” Tasha closed the book and sat it on the table. “I appreciate you going with me today. And training with me. I do really want to be better, you know.”

Wyn smiled. “I know you do. And you will. Honestly, I think we’ll do much better with another Fighter in our group. And you’ll get better spells before long.”

“True. But I don’t want to be just on standby if someone gets hurt. I want to help take down our enemies before it even happens!”

“There aren’t many attacking spells for White Mages, are there? And you should save your mana for healing spells just in case.”

Tasha snickered and stood up, then started to pace around the room. “But if I help kill enemies before they hurt us, I won’t need to save mana for healing spells. That’s my point.”

“Yea, I get that. You could look at a mix like what I’m aiming for. But aren’t Climbers supposed to be more specialized? The more broad we are the worse we are.”

“Worse in whose opinion?”

Wyn scrunched his face up and shifted his posture in the chair. “Well, I guess other Climbers.”

“And who cares what they think?”

“I see where you’re going with this. But if you want to be successful -”

“Don’t quote me some old Climber’s mentality,” Tasha said. She waved her hand at Wyn, shooing him away. “Your mentor probably said that, didn’t he? Which is why Red Mages aren’t popular? And no one wants you in their group?”

Wyn sat up straight now and huffed. “Yes. Exactly.”

Tasha let out a snorted laugh. “Wyn, you of all people should realize that politics don’t matter here if you already have a group and can prove yourself. You get to the top with success and skill, not your family name or money or even what classes people say are good or bad.”

"But doesn't success and skill as a Climber directly correlate to your class abilities?"

Tasha swayed her head left and right. "Well, yes and no. Honestly, everyone has trouble when they first start no matter what class or skills they have. My mentor told me it's because we aren't used to what the tower actually is. It's a challenge and it's incredibly dangerous, but at the end of the day it's still a test we need to overcome. How we do that is up to us, but if we find a group that meshes well together and works hard, even the worst classes or worst skillset can manage."

Wyn leaned back in the chair and folded his arms across his chest. "That makes sense. Your mentor sounds wise. I guess mine is just biased and resentful."

Tasha stopped pacing and laughed. "Maybe. They all should have helpful information and insight, though."

"Yea, that's true. I appreciate Daniel, and he's helped me a ton - but I can definitely tell something happened to him before. His view of our Ruby Magician class and climbing as a whole is definitely negative."

"I'm sorry about that. My mentor has been great. It's funny, though. She isn't even a Divine Magician!"

"She's not? Then how can she teach you?"

"Well, she helps me with the ins and outs of the tower and what it means to climb it. My mother found her just before I came here, and it's been nice having her to teach me."

Wyn walked to his small kitchen and began to pour two cups of tea from the kettle Wendy graciously provided him earlier in the evening. She also provided a small tray of additional items, such as sugar cubes and stirring spoons. He brought the entire tray back to the chairs and set them on the table, offering a cup to Tasha.

"So what exactly happened?" Wyn asked. "When you left home. I didn't think your parents approved of you skipping out on the Academy, but you said she found a mentor for you?"

Tasha added one sugar cube to her cup and began to gently stir it, keeping her legs under her delicately as though an unheard voice was cueing her regarding her posture. "No, that's right. They absolutely didn't approve. My father still won't write me back, and I've only received one letter from my mother. That letter told me that she paid for a mentor for me so I wouldn’t ‘ruin the family name.’ Not to be safe. Not to protect myself. It was so that I wouldn’t bring down the great St. Clairs.”

Wyn blew on his cup of tea before taking a sip. “I’m sorry. That’s a terrible thing to do and say about your family. I can’t imagine that.”

Tasha set her tea cup down on the tray. “I know. The whole reason you’re here is for your family, and the reason I’m here is to escape mine.”

“Family is… complicated. I don’t want to be here. You do. I’d rather spend time with my sister instead of risking my life. Again.”

“She’s lucky to have you. I have no doubt you’ll be able to pay off that debt.”

Wyn made a weary smile. “And your family has no idea what they’re missing out on. I know you’ll discover yourself here.”

Tasha returned his smile and blushed. “I think I definitely have started to. But there’s still more to come. I’m simply glad I found a group to grow with.”

“A climbing family, in a way.”

Tasha stood up and gave a slight bow. “I couldn’t agree more. But I really should be going. I want to rest before seeing Cedric and prepare to back to Alistair on Solday. We have our work cut out for us.”

Wyn stood up and returned her bow before politely showing her out the door. When he stepped back into his apartment he felt a wave of exhaustion fold over him. This was the first time he’d been able to rest all day, and it was quite the day.

He cleaned up absentmindedly, lost in his thoughts. He wanted to prepare himself when he saw Cedric and began to mentally review talking points and ways to express exactly how he felt.

Cedric wanted to leave Alestead, and Wyn planned to convince him to not only stay, but join their group. Cedric wouldn’t be easily persuaded but Wyn was confident. He smiled right before he fell asleep, excited for the new day.

*****

The morning air was crisp and cool, and Wyn breathed it in like a fine scent. It refreshed his lungs and spirit, bolstering him further for the conversation he was prepared to have.

He pulled open the doors to the infirmary and strolled in confidently. The woman sitting at the front desk was someone new, and Wyn deflated a bit not seeing the attractive, younger woman, but he wasn’t deterred.

After receiving the directions and information that Cedric already had multiple visitors, Wyn set off. So the others were already there. He originally intended to arrive early but wanted to give Cedric the chance to sleep in a bit. Obviously the others didn’t have the same courteous foresight.

He reached out for the knob to open the simple door, but hesitated. Several emotions ran through him at once. He was excited to see Cedric, though also anxious about what he planned to say and afraid Cedric wouldn’t see his point of view. The Wizard needed to see logic and be convinced to climb again. And Wyn was prepared to be blunt and direct. He needed to channel his inner captain again for the conversation ahead.

Wyn took a deep breath and turned the knob. Laughter was the first sound he heard, which took him aback. Cedric’s barking laugh pierced his ears first, making him smile. Wyn caught their eye and they all happily rejoiced together at him finally making it.

A smile formed quicker than any smile had formed before on Wyn’s face. His friends were here, together, laughing and enjoying themselves. A new sense of purpose and resolve swelled up within Wyn.

Cedric would stay. Wyn wouldn’t allow him to say no.

Cedric immediately stood up and walked over to Wyn. He was wearing simple clothes with a white sheet draped over his shoulders like a blanket. It bundled him up as though he was out in the cold and snow rather than inside. He stopped a few feet from Wyn and took a deep breath. His smile was gone and had a serious look about him, though it was difficult to read how he was truly feeling.

“Wyn, you saved my life,” Cedric said. He extended his right hand. “If it wasn’t for you, I’d be dead right now. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to thank you enough.”

Wyn swatted his hand away and pulled him into a hug. There was an empty space on Cedric’s left side where his arm should be, and it was obvious in the moment. Wyn wondered if he had miscalculated as Cedric didn’t hug him back, thinking that maybe the Wizard wouldn’t be as receptive to the gesture.

A few seconds after the initial embrace, Cedric wrapped his right arm around Wyn and squeezed hard.

Wyn pulled up a chair in the relatively large room and sat with the others. Marcy stood by the lone window in the room and looked out with her arms folded. She was unfazed by the greeting.

The four Climbers exchanged pleasantries and talked for a little while, sipping on tea and eating bread and cheese intermittently. Marcy occasionally joined them but stayed standing, rotating around the room in various positions, her angst obvious.

Wyn slowly began to grow anxious himself knowing the only thing they hadn’t discussed was Cedric’s stated departure and their goodbyes. He wasn’t one to avoid uncomfortable topics of conversation but also knew there was no great time to bring it up.

Best to get it over with.

“Cedric,” Wyn said, setting his small cup on the table. “We need to discuss you leaving.”

The conversation ceased as quickly as a parent scolding their child to be quiet.

“What about it?” Cedric asked. He still sipped from his cup, not bothered by the change of topic.

“Why are you leaving?” Wyn asked. “You haven’t given a reason yet.”

Cedric stopped mid-sip, swallowing his tea hard and setting the cup down with force. Tasha jumped, startled.

“I think you know the reason quite well,” Cedric said. “I no longer have a left arm. My climbing days are over.”

“On whose decision?” Wyn asked. “Has the Guild Master ordered you to resign?”

Cedric squinted and cocked his head to the side. Everyone else was quiet, watching the conversation unfold, afraid even to breathe too loud to be dragged in.

“No, he hasn’t,” Cedric said, annoyance building insidiously in his voice. “I’m opting to leave before he does.”

“Has he ever asked anyone to quit?”

“What are you getting at, Wyn?”

Wyn took a deep breath. “I don’t think you should leave.”

Cedric laughed. It made Wyn clench his jaw, because the sound was short and snarky, and obviously faked.

“Here we go,” the Wizard muttered. “Like I haven’t heard this argument before from the others.” He slung his thumb towards Marcy, who was staring out the window, listening but not acknowledging their conversation.

“It doesn’t matter,” Wyn said. “You haven’t heard it from me.”

Cedric straightened up. “And you think you’re more convincing than Climbers I’ve been with for months? Been through thick and thin, countless monsters and challenges? What makes your word better?”

Wyn put his hands calmly on his thighs and took a deep breath. He forced his quickening heart rate to settle down and reminded himself about his past. Hard truths were part of his job, whether he liked it or not. This was just another time he had to call on that experience.

“My word is better because I’ll tell you the truth you don’t want to hear.”

Cedric sat there in silence for a few seconds, not speaking. Wyn felt as though it was the loudest he’d heard them all, though not one of them spoke.

Marcy shifted against the wall and stepped towards them. “Don’t, Wyn,” Marcy said. “You won’t help.”

Wyn furrowed his eyebrows. “Of course I’ll help. Someone needs to do it.”

“No one is doing anything,” Cedric said. He stood up and turned his back to them, his sheet still around his shoulders like a draped blanket. “The only thing that is happening is everyone is leaving and I’m packing my things to go.”

John and Tasha looked at each other though didn’t move. They were frozen, unsure of what to do or say.

“What’s your plan, Cedric?” Wyn asked. “Say you leave.”

“I am leaving,” Cedric spat, cutting him off.

Wyn narrowed his eyes. “Say you leave. What will you do? You’re young. You have an entire life ahead of you.”

“Do I?” Cedric said, spinning around to face them. His face was red and he pointed to his left shoulder, void of the rest of his arm. “Now that I’m like this I have nothing. Am nothing! I can’t work, I can’t craft. I’m a cripple! I could sell my items I’ve collected and live off of that for the rest of my measly life with the right buyer!”

“If you do that, you’ll be dead in a month,” Wyn said. He folded his arms but didn’t move another inch, still staring directly at Cedric. “You’ll find some vice because you lost purpose. Alcohol. Drugs. Love. You’ll get mixed in with the wrong people and be dead before you know it, your wealth scattered in the wind with your ashes.”

The Wizard drew back like he’d just been struck. “How dare you think so little of me!”

“How dare I?” Wyn said, standing up. “How dare you be so naive for being so damn smart! Try again, Cedric. What’s your plan?”

Cedric stood there with his mouth agape. He shook his head and snapped back, trying to settle himself. “I have a job offer lined up at Keyworth’s. A professor of magic for Tower Studies.”

Wyn laughed the same laugh Cedric gave him earlier - forced and fake. “Come, on. You’ll be bored to death!”

“You have no idea what interests me and what doesn’t,” Cedric said. “It’s a well-respected position and anyone would be lucky to have it!”

“Is that what you told yourself when you debated back and forth whether you’d take it or not? We may not have had much time together, but I pick up on things easier than most.” Wyn stood up and took a step towards Cedric, while the Wizard reflexively took a step back.

“Let me guess,” Wyn continued, “what you’ve been doing in this room. You’ve been terrorizing yourself mentally about what you should’ve done, what you could’ve done differently to make it out with your left arm.“

“Wyn,” Marcy said, almost in a whisper. “Enough.”

Wyn ignored her. “When that exhausted you, you thought about the good times you’ve had here when your group mates came to check on you, thinking back on your times here and reminiscing. When they kicked you out, you had an existential crisis about your purpose and what you’d do from here.”

“Wyn,” Marcy repeated, louder. “Stop!”

Cedric went wide eyed, backing into the wall. He closed his eyes and turned his head away. Crackles of electricity formed around him, small yellow flashes of light zipping around him like flies.

Marcy stepped forward along with John, who leapt up from his seat.

“You let them in,” Wyn said, pointing to his head. He took another step towards the Wizard, ignoring the palpable electricity in the air. “Whatever you think others would say about you and judge you! You let them in your head! You are the one who said you can’t climb again, no one else!”

“NO!” Cedric yelled, stepping forward into Wyn’s personal space. A small concussive force flew out of him like a brief gust of wind. “It was you. You cost me my arm and made me a cripple! You didn’t let me die in there! You brought me back like this!” He pulled the sheet off of him, exposing the bandaged shoulder where his arm should’ve been.

Tasha gasped and covered her mouth.

“You’re the one to blame!” Cedric raised his right arm and a small ball of electricity formed within it.

“No, Cedric!” Marcy screamed. “Both of you, stop!”

“I was supposed to be something!” Cedric continued. “A great Wizard! You took that life from me!”

“Cedric!” Marcy yelled. She rushed beside him but lightning arced and struck her arm. Her arms flew up in defense, and she backed away.

Cedric didn’t take his eyes off Wyn as larger arcs of lightning streaked between the small ball in his hand and over his entire body. It looked like living, breathing lightning all around him, and he was its master, waiting to command it to attack like a hunting dog.

Wyn panicked a bit seeing the small storm forming around Cedric, though it didn’t deter him. He silently cast Regen on himself, knowing what he had to do, though not exactly looking forward to the process. He suddenly wished he still had the Arcane Aura spell. The Wizard was intimidating and showing off his power, and he knew Cedric needed to be both calmed down and persuaded.

Wyn stepped forward and grabbed Cedric by the shoulders, staring into his eyes. The lightning jumped through his hands and across his body, and he felt like he was stabbed with thousands of tiny needles deep into his muscles, his organs, his bones. He gritted his teeth and snarled his lips, shaking Cedric slightly and squeezing his shoulders harder. The only thing keeping him from collapsing was the prolonged healing of his spell.

Something deep within Wyn was stirring, brought on by Cedric’s anger, and he needed to unleash that feeling.

Cedric wasn’t expecting him to do that, and the lightning ball in his hand dissipated. His jaw dropped seeing Wyn. The Ruby Magician glowed with a white aura from his healing spell, appearing angelic and otherworldly in the moment.

“You weren’t a great Wizard,” Wyn said through his teeth, forcing himself despite the pain, “you are a great Wizard! You’re a storm in the coming night but I am the winds that direct that storm. I am your captain! Your leader! You forge your own path but I am the one who directs you!” Wyn winced once as he realized Regen wasn’t healing healing him as fast as the lightning was coursing through his body.

Still, he pressed on, ignoring the pain.

“You are a tempest and will destroy our enemies. Our enemies! How can a storm be crippled? It adjusts course and continues its path of destruction when meeting an obstacle. You will do the same. Do it for us. For me.”

John and Marcy stepped forward and grabbed Wyn, though the instant they did, lightning arced into them and they flinched. Cedric shook his head and instantly negated his magic.

Wyn didn’t let go, still staring at Cedric. Sweat dripped down his face, and he was breathing heavier than before, but he still held Cedric’s shoulders in a firm grasp. He felt the Wizard slump, nearly going completely slack. Wyn was providing most of the support now, holding him up even when the Wizard wouldn’t hold himself up. The spell finally was healing the sparking pain he felt all over.

There was a few moments of silence in the room, no one moving or speaking.

“Why would you do that?” Cedric asked quietly, breathing hard. “You could’ve died.”

Wyn took a deep breath and bent even closer to Cedric, inches from his face. “I’ve lost people, Cedric,” he said in a whisper. “Never again. No matter what. I’ll die before I let an ally die. Especially for a friend.”

Cedric slowly nodded in understanding.

“Now,” Wyn said, continuing, “if you really want to show me thanks, keep climbing as our fifth group member. We need you. I need you. You’re more than capable, you arrogant Wizard.”

Cedric huffed a laugh and sat down on the floor. Wyn followed him down and sat across from him, finally letting go of his shoulders. The others crowded around, everyone huddled close.

“Alright,” Cedric said after a minute. “If you don’t mind being known as the group with the cripple, I’ll stay and join your group.”

Wyn smiled. “We’ll show everyone what you’re capable of, not that you’re a cripple. You’ll see.”

“I can tell you’re serious. I saw that during our first climb together. You’re not one to easily back down, are you?”

“Takes one to know one,” Wyn replied, shrugging his shoulder. “All we need is to get you caught up to the third floor.”

Marcy snickered. “That’ll be easy. We have way more firepower now, we can rush those floors in no time.”

“I have an idea, if you’re open to it,” Cedric said.

“I’m sure you’ve been thinking of a lot of ideas in here,” Wyn said. “What do you have in mind?”

Cedric smiled, his lips curling towards each ear. “All I need is the rest of the day to trade my gear. Then we rush tomorrow morning.”

“How about just us,” Wyn said. “Tomorrow before the whole group joins after lunch?”

Cedric shook his head. “We won’t even need that long.”

Marcy slapped Cedric’s back, pushing him forward a bit. “Can’t leave me out, now. It’ll take an hour tops.”

“I think we may set this one out,” John said, pointing with his thumb to Tasha. “How about we meet you all at 9?”

“And I’ll go with you to the trading district,” Marcy said. “Let’s go get that gear!”

John and Tasha shared in the cheers and congratulations at Cedric deciding to stay. It was relieving, to say the least, that Cedric decided to give climbing another shot. Wyn knew it would be a hard conversation, but he certainly didn't expect Cedric to use magic like that. Maybe it was a reflex, a defensive mechanism to shield himself when he felt vulnerable. Wyn could relate. He'd done it many times to his soldiers and his family, using far worse words that cut deeper and hurt more than Cedric's lightning.

Watching his group celebrate, Wyn was thankful. He was quick to forgive and looked forward to the coming climbs with a fuller gorup. Suddenly, as though being drawn by magic, his eyes glossed over to the sheet on the floor, thrown to the side by Cedric. A relieved sigh left his lips. He was grateful, here and now, that that sheet was cast away, being unable to claim another life this day.