The wizard walked through the tunnel of the cave, and Riuluk didn't know what to expect at the end of it at all. He imagined the worst: tunnels over tunnels beneath the earth, cliffs all of a sudden, and even possible skeletons in the corners.
But no, nothing even close to that it was. The tunnel ended in what looked like a very dirty room in any house. It had an almost circular shape, a wooden double bed, armchairs on either side, a round table, and cutlery everywhere.
It was quite a tranquile place. Candles all over, melting their wax on the ground, and a strange lantern coming from the top, more like a cauldron full of wood and fire, chained to the ceiling.
Baka and Burin were fighting on the bed of the wizard, still naked as they were outside...
“Waka chakaaaa!!” said Burin
“Fuuprrrr..prrrrrr!” answered Baka with a fist up in the sky
“Stop you too! We have guests now!” shouted the apparent wizard.
Baka and Burin stopped for a few seconds, looking at the wizard like kids who had just discovered him in trouble.
“Waaaaa, stfu stfu!” shouted Baka all of a sudden, jumped on Burin and continued to play...if that may be called playing.
The wizard didn't care about such a reaction; most probably, he became used to it and sat down on a chair at the table.
“Come, Riuluk..son of Duarm. Sit down, we have some important matters to discuss,” said the wizard
Riuluk, still blessed by the fact that the tunnel didn't end in some very unwelcome place, slowly moved to one of the chairs at the table.
“Baka!” shouted the wizard louder while he was biting an ear to his brother...
“Stop playing around and bring some bread to our guest!”
Baka became very disappointed. He dragged himself to what seemed the kitchen side of the room... Meanwhile, his brother Burin was smiling at him, pointing a finger, laughing, and mostly saying something incomprehensible.
“So, my new friend, how did you manage to arrive here? I suppose you didn't come by foot,” asked the wizard
“No, your majesty..ehm, wizard, I used a sphere.”
“Ow, I see! It has been so long since I last saw one of your kind...I imagined you were one of the sons of the savage lands since I didn't see you flying..haa.” seemed to laugh the wizard
“Light eyes and dark hair, you actually could make such a crucial mistake by guessing it wrong. But as far as you are a son of Kloud, I guess you are wiser than your bloodheaded cousins... am I right?”
“Well, I never met one of my cousins. They say they are rude, dirty, and aggressive. Hope to never meet one in my life!” said Riuluk
“Ahah..who knows? But I agree with you. Even though they are closer to nature than many others, the way they use it doesn't match its order. Anyway... let's talk about what has to be done,” said the wizard
“Bakaaa!! Where is the bread?” shouted the wizard
Baka was very close to the table, with a huge plate on his head, piled high with loaves of bread. The problem was Burin, who was pulling him back from the other side so he couldn't move on to the table...
“Burin!!” shouted the wizard even louder
Burin left the grip, and Baka almost fell on the floor, but was able to shoot the plate of bread on the table, which made all the loaves get out of it and scatter on the dusty table.
The wizard made a tragic face, one of those faces you see on parents who have lost hope in educating their children. Not knowing what to say, the wizard put the loaves back on the plate and offered them to Riuluk.
Riuluk made a forced smile and picked one of the loaves. While the wizard turned his face to watch what Baka and Burin were doing now with such noise, Riuluk cleaned his loaf on his shirt, then stopped all of a sudden when the wizard got back to him to talk after a couple of shouts at Baka and Burin.
“So do you know what you are carrying?” asked the wizard
“I only know it is called the stone of fire, I don't know how it works, but the old Fraenthorn told me it will help to find the new chosen of fire...”
“Yes, yes, you are right..but let me explain to you better then,” said the wizard while searching in his clothes.
He then put his stone on the table.
“You see? This is the natural quartz stone. As you can tell by yourself, what is the difference from yours...”
Riuluk put the stone of fire on the table.
“My stone is pale in my hand, yours is shining!” said Riuluk
“Exactly!” answered the wizard, excited
“There are many quartz stones in this world, child. But only a few of them resemble the power of this world. The awoken quartz stones shine upon their master. This is how the stone itself will help you to find the new chosen of fire. It is extremely important that you succeed in your task, Riuluk. The world is ruled by its magic, a disbalance may cause some very tragic consequences...”
“..you must travel to Duerth Merkath, the merchant city built by your kin. There, you will need to find a certain person. I don't remember his name, but I remember he lived there once. He is quite a funny fellow, but he didn't change at all through the years. He is the one who will show you the future. More of this I cannot help, unfortunately...”
Riuluk listened to all of this without swallowing the loaf of bread in his mouth...
“..ow yes, be aware of the darkness, Riuluk. Fire is not nature; nature is hard to tame by those that seek destruction, but fire...well, fire, my friend, has to reach good hands as far as possible. We are out of time; it is a matter of days till those who we wish not to know will sense the wizard of fire is dead, and the stone is still not awoken.”
Riuluk fainted on the side of his chair...
“Riuluk, oh god..we are truly in good hands now, thank you, my Lord!” said the wizard, not moving an inch from his chair
“Baka, Burin! Bring some water and wake him up!” shouted the wizard
Baka and Burin stopped playing around the bed and went through a tunnel close to the bed, still punching each other on the shoulders while walking down.
They got back with a bucket of water and dumped it entirely on Riuluk. “Splaaaashh!”
Riuluk got up straight, “Who is it, who is it?”
The wizard was looking grumpy at him.
“Oh, yes, the stone. I will manage to do it, s-sir..” said Riuluk, still dripping water from his clothes.
“Baka, make some tea!” shouted the wizard
“Wuku chuciuu!” said Baka, annoyed
He then went to a strange machine next to the kitchen. He pushed a button, and fire came out of it... He then put some water to boil and got back to hit Burin in the bed with a furious jump.
“What is that sorcery??” asked Riuluk impudently
“Sorcery? There is no such fairer thing as sorcery to nature. It is just a machine Baka and Burin made for me. After many years of work in this forest, up and down its hills, it becomes tough at my age to always get the proper wood to burn for heat. So I created Baka and Burin from two twin plants, they are children of nature, very powerful indeed...even if their looks and behaviours would not frighten even a rabbit!”
“With age, my mind cannot work as well as before, so I shared in that part of my powers in order to make my living easier, as this tea machine I like to call..ahah.”
Riuluk was astonished; if there is anything that would capture the attention of a son of Kloud, it is technology. They would seek any of that to just pump their own sphere a bit faster or stronger.
“So, where is your sphere, Riuluk?” asked the wizard
“Oh, well..it crashed on the waterfalls..” said sadly Riuluk
“This is no good, we have to find something that will get you as fast as a sphere to Duerth Merkath.”
“Baka, Burin..go dress yourselves..I need you to go with Riuluk to the merchants! "Oh..prepare the boat, you will travel with that!” shouted the wizard to them
Baka and Burin stopped playing all of a sudden, eyes open, and their long ears up. They then started cheering and went down the same tunnel, where they got back with water.
“Now, Riuluk, I cannot come to your journey, and mostly, I have to protect this forest. But as I decided before, I grant you my children, Baka and Burin. They are very stupid, mostly, but confide in them...they can be very powerful sometimes and very good to help.”
“Thank you, sir. I will try to protect them.”
“Protect them? Ahah, be careful, instead they won't kill you by accident!”
Riuluk's face changed from proud to shocked. The wizard put a hand on his right shoulder and led him to the tunnel.
“Farewell, my new friend..ah! One last thing. Here is a little present for you, use it in Duerth Merkath, I'm quite sure you will be able to buy a new sphere of your own...”
The wizard gave him a little red sack with a golden rope. Riuluk started down the tunnel; he opened the sack... couldn't believe his eyes: red, with blue lightning... and an Idrillich mushroom!
