Chapter 3: Market

"Man, I knew this would be a long walk… huff... This is a long walk..."
 
"Hehehe It's quite a walk Doc, I agree. Something for us to get used to though right? If we're to start going to Market more often, that is."
 
"I... huff... hadn't thought of that."
 
Doc seemed to find some kind of inner strength when I said those words and started walking with more purpose. It was a nice thought that I had an effect on him like that.
 
"So what started Market father?"
 
"Well it was started when Elves and Humans first met, at the same spot Market is held today actually..."
 
Nahum started to move his hands in the delicate and elaborate way that meant he was about to use some illusion Magic. This type of Magic always fascinated me... powerful and yet it could do nothing to those it affected. Worked great with many things from story telling to planning to distracting an opponent in a fight. A very well rounded and diverse form of Magic.
 
"The Humans were part of a hunting party, coming North to hunt and gather for the few months of Winter that made their mountain range hard on wildlife and plants."
 
Doc and I were watching the phantom images appear just in front of Nahum while we both listened to the story. Nahum was quite good, the images forming near perfect replicas of his story.
 
"The Elves were part of a scouting party... coming out to the mountains making maps of the area and searching for anything that our camp could use. The meeting was one of almost calamity... The Elves alert for Magi Knight from Zariah City and the Humans alert for any mountain predator. Both parties knew there was something just over a ridge, but not what. Finally one of our Elves gathered the courage and held his hands high as he walked over the ridge. Hoping he was not just walking into a Magi Knight party, and thus certain death, he was as surprised as the Humans he now looked at."
 
Nahum's images shifted to showing both parties looking at each other cautiously.
 
"After a few moments of watching each other, it was a Human that took the next step of courage. Looking not much older than 16 Summers, he stepped forward and held out an odd stick of some material. After the Elves looked at it a moment without moving the Human brought it too his mouth and took a bite from it, offering it again, an Elf took it and tasted it... it was like nothing we had ever tried, bitter and grease taste, the Elf gagged slightly on the food the Humans called dried meat. The gift, although not anything we would have chose, was understood and the Elf thanked the Human. Another Elf took out a seed and began to grow a plant to give to the Humans and both parties were in for a surprise, the Humans had never before seen Magic! The Human hunters jumped back from the slender vine growing from the small patch of ground in the Elf's hand, though more curious then afraid, they slowly crept forward while watching the small plant take form. What an amazing thing this must have been for them!"
 
We had stopped for a break and a light meal, I knew Doc had something on his mind; he had been silent for a while now.
 
"The Humans had never known Magic?"
 
"No Doc, not before we showed them it, they had been hunters and gatherers using nothing but skill and muscle. This was one thing that brought the Elves and Humans into the agreement that would bring about the Market. Watching an Elf create a form of food, a plant in the Elf's very hand, was something the Humans wanted to learn. And we Elves found things that the Humans could teach us in return, many of our tracking techniques as well as building using stone instead of wood were taught to us by the Humans. They also had more then one language; each of the Human tribes had its own dialect of a similar language and the Humans have taught them all to us over the years. Our trader language is actually one of those dialects."
 
"Wow... I can't think of a time not having Magic. And before they met us, Humans would live their entire life without knowing it exists. Can you imagine that Cae?"
 
"It is odd to think about. I wonder if that was what the first Elves to find Magic felt like. The feeling of something much larger then yourself, understanding that this larger thing has been here before you knew of it... Interesting things to think of."
 
"That is very insightful Cae."
 
"Thank you Nahum. Has anyone recorded Human history from before the Elves came across them?"
 
"The Humans use a verbal record of history, which makes it hard to pinpoint and be accurate, though last I heard some tribes are starting to integrate a written record in these last few years."
 
The rest of the walk to Market was mostly silent, I was thinking more on the history of Humans. How interesting must it have been going through generations without knowing of Magic, much less using it.
The silence wouldn't last however, for very soon we were within sight of
 
"The Market! Cae, we are really so close to the Market!"
 
"Haha, yes Doc. Yes we are... Nahum, how long will we be here at Market?"
 
"We'll be here the rest of this Market, which is four more days of full moon. I don't mind you two running off, just don't get into trouble. Be back by moon-high and you will get to hear our group telling stories tonight."
 
"We won't get into trouble Nahum, right Doc?"
 
I looked around to find Doc was already running toward Market. Chuckling to myself I followed him.
 
****
 
"Cae... there is a Human trader..."
 
"Yeah, why does that matter... Oh... You want to as..."

Too late, Doc was already running up to the Human.
 
"What is it like to be a Human?"
 
"... I don't know... What is it like to be an Elf?"
 
I knew my face was in a broad smile and I tried very hard not to chuckle.
 
"It's really interesting. I can imagine being a Human is interesting too."
 
"I'd imagine so. You want to trade or just talk?"
 
"I, hmm. I don't really have anything to trade besides a seed or two."
 
"Good enough. Hand over a seed and I'll let you try some jerky. Sound fair?"
 
"Sure!"
 
After Doc handed the Trader a seed and the Trader handed Doc back a small stick of jerky I had this sense of déjà vu, history might be repeated here...
Doc took a bite into the dried meat and sure enough gagged on whatever taste it had.
 
"Ack! This is what you eat?"
 
"Hah, you get used to it kid. See you around."
 
"Cae... Did you want to try this jerky stuff?"
 
"No thanks Doc. I think I'll pass for now... hehe... the look on your face when you bit into it..."
 
****
 
"The Magi Knights were sent out to stop the gatherings of free mages at any cost. Those gathered had asked the Magi Knights to please leave and allow them to continue practicing their Magic in peace..."
 
Doc and I had snuck into near the end of one of Nahum's stories. He was at work with his illusion Magic again, this time being helped by another Elf.
 
"The Magi Knights opened fire upon the free mages with their Magi Bows, spiting Magic fire on innocent men, women and children, many of them farmers who were learning Magic to do nothing more than to help with crops."
 
The illusions were incredible and eerily realistic. The Elf helping Nahum may have been one of the few 'lucky' ones that got away.
 
"Very few got away from the massacre, even fewer without injuries that would take their life days or weeks later... A grim procession was paraded through Zariah City the very next day, showing the funeral pyres of the young children and of supposed Magi Knights that had lost their lives 'fighting the rebels'. Not an Elf had fired back upon the Magi Knights; they were busy fleeing for their lives. The parade through the city turned into an annual reminder to keep the populace in fear of Magic. That is the origin of Remembrance Day."


©2010 Cyi Taiga & Jono Taiga