Thames awoke in the inn bed, grass clippings surrounding his body.
That's the second time I've seen it now.. He grimaced as he thought back to the Blind Reader, turning out of bed and glancing out the window.
It appeared to be morning and sunny. The blue sky was contrasted by light clouds.
He met up with Lin and Ode outside of then inn, all three opted to skip breakfast this morning as they had a long journey ahead of them.
"We got bout a day of straight carriage ridin to get to the Flowery Tower!" Lin yelled over the fierce wind. "'Course that's only if the horses're fast."
Ode and Thames went into the carriage as Lin took her seat at the front again.
The carriage quickly departed from Nowhere, the small town fading out of view from the group. Ode looked Thames, who still had grass in his hair, up and down.
"Sleep well?" He asked, a slick smile growing on his face.
"Something like that." Thames responded quickly, noticing his stares and brushing the grass out of his hair.
"So.. How'd the grass end up there..?" Ode asked again, still with a smile on his face.
"I uh.. Had a vivid dream. Must be something to do with my magic." Thames quickly stumbled to produce a poor lie.
Ode just nodded sheepishly while staring at Thames with a grin. "Magic hm?? Trem must be funny!" He scratched his chin while commenting.
"So magic comes from deities right?" Thames quickly changed the subject.
"Mhmmm! Divine gifts or something from the first magical era." Ode quickly elaborated the bare minimum.
"Right so most magic is related to them?" Ode just nodded as Thames continued. "So are there major deities for magicians?"
"Mmmm.." Ode held his chin as he thought. "Well.. It's hard to know for sure! Magicians sharing who their deity they follow is like really intimate."
Thames nodded along, but recalled Lin sharing that she followed Runi. "So you can't know?"
Ode shook his head. "Most the major deities like Trem, Juno, Tenis, Pluton.. Like the big churches would have the most magicians probably?" He quickly listed the deity of art, joy, wealth, and space respectively.
Thames thought deeply before asking his next question. "Would you be able to guess a magicians deity based on their spells?"
"Well.. The lower tier spells would be the most obvious.. Like you using Draw! Most could guess you follow Trem." Ode pointed at Thames while stating that.
Thames just sat back as Ode continued.
"It wouldn't really do anything though? Knowing a magicians deity won't help with predicting powerful spells!" Ode sat back as he quickly thought something up. "More complex spells are usually catered personally to a magician! Like everyone interprets a deities laws differently."
So it's up to the magician..? Seems like the major ones have relaxed laws on purpose..
Mother Trem only wants art to be created, shown, and protected.. Juno.. He just wants believers to seek personal joy? That might be who Ode follows… He's always smiling.
Thames fell into thought as he continued to wonder.
Most Tenis followers only want wealth.. So magician merchants? But what's considered wealth to him?
Thames quickly came to the conclusion that magic was very flimsy and easy to manipulate based off the deity.
"So magicians aren't really limited if they follow vague rules?" Thames quickly spoke his mind.
"Limited by their imagination and energy! Spells draw from the soul so you'd get exhausted fast the harder the spell is.."
Both of the men fell into silence as the carriage continued on. The rolling plains gradually shifted to barren flatlands, the grass now a light brown shade.
The dry flatlands.. Thames thought to himself. This region stretched far between the rolling plains near Lino and the farmland where Nira was.
Most people said that the flatlands were only dry because of some magician. One of the many tales from the second era that built up the fame of magicians.
The road grew bumpy as Ode fell asleep. Thames watched the dull scenery as snores filled the carriage.
So Lin telling me about Runi was intimate..?
He had one last thought as he drifted into a light nap, joining Ode.
Thames awoke to a light shaking sensation, his eyes slowly opened to the sight of Ode.
"Awake?"
Thames nodded slowly as he yawned. "Have we reached the tower?"
"Nope!" Ode pointed out the window, directing Thames' attention to it.
Outside, he saw Lin standing alert in front of the window. She was equipped with a great hammer and watching the surroundings quickly.
Around her stood a large forest, coated in a thick unnatural fog. It was dark and the damp air gradually creeped into the carriage.
Where are we???
"Where are we???" Thames blurted out, realizing there was no place like this on the way to Nira, much less the tower.
"No clue!" Ode responded cheerfully, completely the opposite of the situation. He quickly ran out towards Lin, leaving Thames behind.
"Ah dammit!" He yelped out while drawing his short sword and running to the other two.
"What do we got here, Lin?" Ode asked in an excited tone.
"Illusory forest! No clue what it's from though.." She said in a low tone just as shadowy silhouettes began to approach.
Ode quickly turned towards Thames. "Well... Welcome to your first illusory forest! Try not to get injured!" He quickly spat out while smiling as Lin blocked a tall thin creature.
"What?!?!"