The rain was falling in sheets late one cloudy September evening, my feet felt heavy and my boots, which had been newly polished early that morning were now slick with moisture and mud. Shoulders drooping and head bowed against the stinging rain and wind, I continued to walk, looking closely at each marker I passed, only catching small glimpses of names and dates... the marble and granite stones not losing any beauty throughout the ages. I pulled my cape around my slender body, the dark blue wool fabric helping little against the weather as the moisture soaked through it and began to take it’s toll on my robes, the thin white fabric sticking to my skin as I spotted what I was looking for...the modest light marble headstone with his name engraved on it. Dropping to my knees in the dark green grass in front of the grave, I wiped a hand across my face, closing my blue eyes and clearing the water from my vision before confirming my suspicions. Pulling off my drenched cape I threw it aside, long, straight, dark red hair, the color of blood as it dries fell down my back and darkened even more as the raindrops hungrily attacked my tresses. Nothing mattered though, he was here... I felt his presence and wrapped my arms around the cold marble stone, pressing my cheek against it and feeling the lines and patterns that made up several designs scratching my face, sharp edges leaving small red marks that went unnoticed as I kneeled in the rain, knowing that it was something that had to happen, but not being to hold back my grief as I leaned back and let my eyes wander over the name carved in beautiful writing on that cold stone..."Aka Houshi Rezo".
Fire...my back was on fire. Pain shot through my body as I pressed myself up against the back of a tree, glancing nervously down the road...long sword in hand and stomach in throat. Thief...robber...criminal. The words would rotate through my head at all hours of the day but there was no other choice! Times were hard, food was scarce and every Inn visited didn’t want to let a 14 year old girl stay...without asking for a price. I shuddered slightly at the thought of the Innkeeper at Zefelia, a short man, gray haired and old, with a mind that wandered as well as hands. He had asked too much. Sighing softly, I ran a finger over the garnet stone that decorated my sword, my most valuable possession by far. I knew that would change though, I would get a break...somewhere. Soon perhaps...as I held my breath, hearing boots walking down the barren path. The footsteps were light, but I guessed they belonged to a male, not a particularly large one either. Chancing being caught, I peeked around the tree, my cheek pressing against the bark and almost gave away my hiding spot, I was so surprised at the sight that met me.
Clad in white robes, with a long red cape with simple adornments was a man, much taller then I had thought he would be, he looked to be about 7 feet tall at the least. His age...I couldn’t tell for sure but he looked to be in his mid twenties, perhaps early thirties...at most. His skin was pale, and very smooth, his neck long...his features somewhat feminine but still retaining an aura of masculinity. I glanced at his hair, the medium purple tone an oddity in this region and the way he wore it even more so. It was parted in the middle and the ends lifted upwards slightly. I will admit it gave him a less then attractive appearance in my young eyes but it also gave him character...but his eyes...they were shut. His long think black lashes even rivaled mine but I smiled as I realized he was blind. This would be easy... he carried no weapon. He did however carry a long staff, exquisitely made of beautiful silver, with a ruby adornment at the top and 4 small silver rings attached to it. A marvelous tone rang out each time he moved it and I tensed my muscles like a cat, watching him approach and knowing this was the man who was going to make me rich.
clang clang I listened as he walked closer and closer to where I hid, waiting until he was just a few feet from myself before jumping out in the middle of the road, holding my sword poised in front of me as my heartbeat and pulse climbed off the chart. His height gave him an advantage over myself... when I stood on my toes I barely made 5 feet 3 inches. Intimidation on his part was unintended, but he had me scared...as I tried to stand my ground and said quickly, "Alright, you listen up! I...well I’m armed and not afraid to use this weapon unless you do as I tell you!" He stopped, the butt of his staff hitting the ground hard as his closed eyes seemed to look right at me, making my skin crawl as I mustered up strength to speak again. "Just leave the staff, and any money you have and be on your way unless you want to get hurt!" I was shaking now, he still didn’t speak, just stood there, looking very tall and confident compared to myself.
"I am just a traveling Priest...now please friend, just step back..." With that he stepped closer to me and I lashed out with my sword, catching him on the hand and drawing blood, his teeth clenching as the red liquid ran down his hand and formed small stains on the ground in front of him.
"I told you, just do as I say." Short hair pulled back and wearing mis-matched leather armor, I hoped he would get the impression that I wasn’t a girl...that I was a fierce warrior. His lack of sight would work to my advantage.
"Please...step back, don’t make me do this..." And with that he stepped towards me again, and I swung my sword to meet him, aiming for his arm but crying out in surprise as he deflected my blade and brought the end of his staff against the middle of my back, knocking me into the dirt as I gritted my teeth, hearing a cracking sound as the force of his blow shattered several of my vertebrae. The back of my head hit the ground and I tried to scream in pain but couldn’t, unable to even draw a breath of air as blood trickled out of the side of my mouth and everything went black.
"The pain, what happened...I’m dead...I should be..." I gasped slightly and closed my eyes against the fire in my back, the burning far exceeding how I felt pressed up against the tree as I tried to remember what happened.
"You’re not dead, now hold still...I’m trying to help you" That voice...I knew it. Opening my eyes I looked up and saw the man, his head bent as he mumbled the words of a spell and placed his hands on me, lifting me up and laying me on my stomach as he touched my back gently, and the pain eased. I sighed in relief and sat up...saw my tunic laying off to one side and looked at him warily.
"Hey now!" He pointed to his eyes as I slipped on my tunic.
"Rest assured child, that I saw nothing." He smiled at me softly.
"Oh...yeah." I grinned, feeling stupid but then frowning as his face darkened and he looked away, then turned back to me and put his hand on my shoulder lightly, smiling again and continuing.
"I’m going to forget about what you were trying to do back there, on one condition." I frowned.
"Hmm?" Memories of roving hands flickered through my mind as I looked for my sword...just in case.
"You need to answer a few questions for me. What’s your name child?" He inquired. I thought a moment before answering.
"Katherine, Katherine Neraner the thief. How bout you tell me yours?"
"Rezo...Rezo the Red Priest. You have a pretty name Katherine, and your face..." He ran his hands over my face, and I let him. "You’re a pretty child." he finished. I scowled slightly, 14 wasn’t a child... he continued... "So what are we going to do with you?" And stood up, walking in long strides to a shelf that housed hundreds of leather bound books, each one thick and rustic looking. Spellbooks, I guessed.
"Hey I got an idea...let’s just let me get myself to the next town and never cross paths again?" The haughty words tumbled out of my mouth but my stomach seemed to do cartwheels as I said it. I didn’t want to leave. But what use would I be to him? Nothing but a bother of course.
"An interesting idea... but if I take you anywhere it’ll be to prison...unless..." I grimaced but smiled inwardly. He wasn’t a fool, I’d give him that.
"Unless what?"
"Do you...have you ever thought about studying magic?" He asked, and my eyes widened.
"Well um I...of course! But you know, I couldn’t afford a tutor, still can’t. One of the downfalls of being an orphan." The cost of magic was expensive, I couldn’t even afford the books. Never would be able to. He frowned and tapped his fingers on his staff in thought, the light harmonic sound of it very pleasing to my ears.
"Good...now I give you two options child..." He started, and I sat up straight, listening intently to what he had to say. "You will study white magic with me, live with me, for as long as I see fit...or..." He turned to me and said sharply, "You will spend your days in prison. Your decision." Tough decision...right.
"I guess I have no choice, I’ll stay." I tried to keep the eagerness out of my voice, but couldn’t. He smiled and walked over to a cabinet, opening it quickly, his ability to function without the use of sight was amazing me more by the minute as he pulled out a robe, white in color and made of a rich, velvety looking fabric. He threw it to me and I caught it...barely.
"Then it’s settled, now put these on, if you will." I looked around and realized there wasn’t any other room for me to change in...but he was blind so what was I worrying about? "If it makes you feel better I’ll turn around." He laughed softly and turned his back on me, I grinned and quickly slipped my dirty armor off, replacing it with the long robes. They were soft, warm and inviting. I looked over at him and realized he was facing me again. "I wish I could see how they looked..." His face darkened and I shifted my feet nervously.
"I miss my armor." Bluntly put, and not entirely true...but I was trying to act tough. He opened a drawer, pulling out a small hairbrush and chuckled at me...I draw back and placed my hands on top of my head protectively. "Eh now, don’t you get any ideas!" My hair was fine...what was he doing? Some nerve.
"Just hold still, and don’t complain. If you’re going to be my student you must look the part. Clothes are only one part." He stood behind me and untied the pieces of leather that held my hair back from my face, I frowned as he gently ran the brush over my dark red hair, the frown deepening as he parted it on one side and turned me around, sending shivers up my spine...it was like he was examining his work. "Can you tell me.. what color it is?" He asked and my stomach twisted again, I realized how bad I felt that he couldn’t see.
"It’s red, dark red. Like your robes." I replied softly.
"I see...well..." He laughed bitterly. "All I know is that’s a rare color, quite pretty looking so I’ve heard. But I really have no concept of color...I’ve never...been able to see..." His voice trailed off and I noticed a tear run down his cheek. Wiping it away, thinking I didn’t notice he smiled again and walked back over to the cabinet, pulling out a thick, beautiful belt and placing it in my hands. "Here, put this on." I struggled with the belt for several minutes and he sighed, taking it out of my hands and slipping it around my waist, buckling it behind me and then walked back over to the cabinet, grabbing a long, dark blue cape and fastening the neckpiece around my pale skin. I smiled, loving the warm feel of it. These were top notch threads.
"Thanks...for everything." I said suddenly and he nodded. This was my life now. I would follow Rezo.
The wind was blowing from the west that day and I stood in front of Rezo, tears forming in my eyes as he grabbed his pack, feeling through it carefully, making sure he had everything he needed. He had changed. Drastically it seemed. He wanted to see and was going to leave me. I was supposed to be with him, it wasn’t right. No use for me was there in his world now though, and it hurt. He turned to me, and I stood up tall, but I barely came past his waist. Intimidation on his part had been gone for years...it had come back now though, he looked cold. I didn’t recognize this man. 17 I was...highly skilled in the art of White Magic, at least for someone my age...and it was thanks to him. His sightless eyes were turned on me, and my blue ones looked back. No words passed between us, he nodded at me and I just stood there, tears of anger and hurt beginning to slide down my face as I struggled to hold them back. He started to turn away and stopped, shoulders slumping in shame for leaving me so upset, and so abruptly. Leaning down, he kissed me on the cheek, and I looked at him, stilling my tears and seeing the Rezo who had taken me in 3 years ago back once more. I kissed him back, but on the lips. It was a short kiss and he stood up again, grabbing his pack and walking down the road, as I looked on sadly, and preyed for his safe return. Stopping and turning again, he pulled a small gold chain out of his pocket and walked back over to me, fastening it around my neck, a small ruby dangled from the fine chain. With that he was gone, and I was an orphan again.
I opened my eyes, and remembered where I was. My hand gripped the pendant I had received all those years ago and the sharp edges of the ruby cut into my skin. He was close to me again, but not how I wanted him to be. My prayers has gone unanswered, he wasn’t safe. I was hurt by him again, but this time he couldn’t have stopped it. He was dead, I was alive, but changed. I had worn the robes since he first gave them to me, I was a Priestess, powerful and regarded as one of the most kind in the land. He would have wanted it that way. The years had regarded me kindly, at least my looks, but none of that mattered. It was still raining. He was still beneath me. The mud was still on my boots and my clothes were still soaked through. I yanked off the pendant, breaking the delicate chain. Nothing mattered now, I draped it over his headstone in an act of humble respect. My last honor towards him, the man who had changed my life. I stood up, and began to walk back down to the gates of the graveyard, the rain had let up slightly but my attire was heavy with rainwater. The rain couldn’t change anything I realized, it didn’t matter. The moon was still hidden, the sky was still black, and he...my Rezo, was still dead. A blood-red sunrise graced the sky the next day, red as my hair, red as his robes. It was a proper tribute.