Magic has Benefits Ch. 02

They arrived to their location without incident despite this.

They slipped through one last layer of trees and both found themselves in a clearing. The mountain that had been part of the cave was still to their right. A curved set of steps were situated next to the mountain, leading up a small cliff to a landing about twenty feet above them. The landing, despite being on the outside edge of a mountain, was alight with vibrant plant life. A garden of colorful flowers were situated all along the landing. A burbling sound filled the air and Oskar noticed a tiny waterfall on the edge of the mountain. It went across the landing in a simple four foot wide stream, which had am honestly quaint little bridge built across it, leading to the home in the center.

A small, humble hut was sitting pleasantly on the mountain landing. It was made from a combination of cobblestone and wood. The walls were covered in vines and flowers, and the windowpanes were perfectly clear. The inside was small, but incredibly homey.

Oskar was immediately reminded of the hut he grew up in. Except this one was more well kept, and a lot more colorful.

"Ah! Home sweet home!" Riley exclaimed, walking towards the steps with a happy little bounce.

Oskar followed him silently, taking in the scene with a sort of serenity. It was a very comfortable sight.

They went up the stairs and across the little bridge to the front door. Oskar noticed with a bit of confusion that the door didn't have a handle. Before he could process that any further, Riley waved a slight hand at it. With a swirl of pink light, the door swung opened silently.

Oskar blinked twice while looking at it. He was still trying to get used to the whole magic thing, and stuff like this wasn't helping.

The interior was small. It could be broken down simply into a few parts.

There was a kitchen area that sat the the left. More plants were all around here as well, with hanging green vines and what looked like various fruits and vegetables hanging from racks along the walls. There was a water basin filled with water and plenty of counter space for cutlery and other cooking utensils.

Next to that was a simple wooden table with one chair. Looking at it, Oskar quickly deduced that Riley was often here alone. A twinge hit his heart as he thought about how the young Mage had not stopped talking for an entire hour.

He must be so lonely.

The other side of the room had a small, yet comfortable looking bed. Certainly more comfortable than any of the Inns that he'd stayed at before. It was cushy and the blankets looked soft and warm.

On the other corner of that side of the house was a desk. Part of it looked like every scholar's desk that Oskar had seen in the past. A pile of books and paper stacked almost too the size of Riley himself with a collection of ink vials and quills.

The other side contained an arrangement of glass vials and jars, the likes of which Oskar had never seen before. There were glass tubes running between some of them, and what looked like tiny metal devices under others. A collection of colorful liquids were arranged next to the instruments, each with a label written in a language Oskar didn't recognize.

The mix of some familiar elements with the strange left Oskar's emotions similarly mixed.

"Well sit down darling," Riley addressed Oskar, waving at the seat and heading for the glass vials and colorful liquids.

Oskar nodded and went to the chair. He eyed it carefully for a moment. He took off his bag, weaponry, and even carefully removed his armor. He was left simply in a pair of brown leather trousers and a white cotton shirt, which had the collar untied, leaving a V of muscled green skin revealed. He put all of his equipment on the table and carefully sit down.

The chair groaned in protest as he did. Oskar thought if he hadn't taken off all the heavy equipment, the chair would have shattered underneath the weight.

"Hmm, I didn't expect to get a show while I worked," Riley purred in that strange sultry voice he'd used before.

Oskar looked over, confusion clear in his amber colored eyes. Riley was holding two vials of liquid and eyeing Oskar the same way a cat eyes an injured bird. One vial was apple green and the other was a cherry red.

Oskar coughed painfully and raised an eyebrow.

Riley shook his head dismissively and approached him, holding out the green vial, "Usually I'd take this opportunity to objectify you further, but you really need to drink this as soon as possible."

Oskar had begun to stop questioning Riley and took the vial from his slender fingers. He downed the tiny amount of liquid in a quarter of a gulp. It went down his throat and stung every inch of the way. He let out a gasp of pain and began to cough heavily. His large back muscles heaved and he had to hold onto his knees as the coughing fit shook his entire body.

Riley calmly handed him a small wicker basket and stood back, still holding the red vial and watching Oskar with a look somewhere between scholarly intrique and concern.

Oskar was barely able to hold on to the basket as the coughing reached a crescendo. He retched and spat out a glob of black and green liquid into the basket. It sizzled slightly as it hit before seemingly hardening into an ashy lump at the bottom of the basket.

Oskar stared at it in horrified fascination while Riley let out a low whistle.

"Damn Oskar! That was a lot of venom. I'm surprised you survived as long as you did. If that amount had gotten into anyone else, they would have been dead within five minutes, let alone an hour. Belkar Honey or no."

Oskar blinked a bit of moisture out of his eyes and gingerly placed the bucket on the ground. Already, he could feel the swelling in his throat going down. He decided to try and say something.

"... I..." the effort was still straining his throat, and he felt a twinge of pain as the single letter left his mouth.

"Hup hup hup!" Riley cut him off, holding the vial of red liquid out to him, "Drink this first, then you can talk."

Oskar took this one and drank it with no further consideration. If Riley had wanted to hurt him at any point, he could have just left him back at the cave to die by big ass wasp sting. Still, despite this he was expecting it to hurt like the last one.

However, this one felt cool and refreshing as it went down his throat. It tasted sweet, like a tea with sugar. As it hit his stomach, he instantly felt the pain in his throat disappear. Not only that, but small injuries and pains he'd suffered in recent memory also faded as if they had never been there.

Oskar blinked in shock and looked at Riley with large eyes.

Riley smirked slightly at the expression, "Hmm, mystified? That's probably my second favorite expression to see on a man's face."

Oskar thought briefly to ask what the first was, but he had something far more pressing to say. And he was able to say it clearly as he could before the sting. If possible, even more so. He stood up from the chair and placed his fist on his chest, above his heart. He gave a small bow.

"Riley Volstrand... thank you very much. It seems you've saved my life."

It was Riley's turn to stare with wide eyes. It was a look Oskar was very familiar with. When he met people, they usually expected him to speak with broken common and with no manners.

It was now Oskar's turn to grin slightly, "Mystified? Might be one of my favorites to see too."

Riley's expression melted into a smirk again, "You just keep proving to be full of surprises, Oskar Grawl. And full of fight in more ways than one."

"No where near the amount of surprises you have, Master Mage Volstrand," Oskar motioned at the collection of liquids and books on the desk.

Riley rolled his eyes, "Please, if you're going to insist on being called Oskar, I'm going to have to insist that you call me Riley. It's only fair."

Oskar nodded with a small and gentle smile, "Very well Riley."

"Speaking of fair," Riley leaned against the counter and crossed his arms, "I believe we're even. You helped me with the goblins in the cave, and I prevented you from dying of Svenvasp venom."

"Indeed," Oskar nodded, "However, I have come here seeking your aid even further. The Svenvasp sting was an unfortunate side effect of my journey to find you in the first place."

Riley started smiling at the conversation. And based on what Oskar could tell, it was just that. He was happy to have a conversation, "Oh? And why would you be all the way out here looking for me?"

"I was looking for an individual learned in arcane arts," Oskar explained, "And I found a tavern with a barkeep and his daughter. The young woman explained that I would be able to find a witch in these woods and that sh... he... might be able to help me."

Riley sighed and rolled his eyes again, "I swear, I should have let that bear eat her. I've had no end of people trying to find me in here ever since. An actual mob came in here before. Full on torch and pitchforks! I should have at the very least told her I'm a wizard, not a witch."

Oskar blinked, "I'm sorry, my education did not extend to the differences in those that practice the arcane."

Riley raised an eyebrow at him, "A witch gains power by communing with powerful spirits that lend power to them. A wizard learns of the nature of magic and uses science, math, and logic to bend the laws of nature to our will."

Oskar nodded slightly, taking that in. He was about to ask another question when Riley continued to speak.

"On the subject of your education," Riley looked him up and down, "Excuse my stereotyping, but I did not expect you to speak Relleonish as fluently as you do. Not because of your race, but because you look like a warrior. I've not met many with the tone of a scholar, especially outside the ranks of nobel knights."

"My father was a High Relleon Scholar," Oskar explained, "He taught my sister and I everything he could from memory."

Riley nodded, "Still, most impressive Oskar. I haven't had a conversation with another intelligent being since I left school."

Oskar thought about that for a moment before saying, "Didn't you talk to the barmaid?"

"Yes?" Riley gave Oskar a smirk that was one part self assured, one part condescending, "Your point being?"

Oskar made a mental note that Riley seemed to have a superiority complex of some kind.

He cleared his throat, "Anyway. My father taught me many things, but he was no wizard. The intricacies of the arcane eludes me. I have with me an object I believe to be magical, but am unsure of what it does."

That piqued Riley's interest, "A magical item? I suppose you would like for it to be identified?"

"Very much so, please," Oskar nodded.

Riley scratched his chin and looked Oskar up and down. That same, almost predatory look entered his delicate features again.

"And what are you offering to give for my services?" Riley asked, his tone that same sultry purring that Oskar had heard before, "Identifying magical objects is not an easy skill. It's a craft that took years of schooling to learn."

Oskar wasn't sure how he felt about that tone of voice. It made his insides turn somehow. He couldn't tell if it was out of suspicion, or something else entirely.

"I have a bit of money that I have..."

Riley waved a dismissive hand, "I have money. Besides, it's not like I get too many opportunities to spend what I do have all the way out here. No, I'm much more interested in a trade. A service for a service, if you will."

Oskar gave a stoic nod. He'd been prepared to undertake some dangerous task for a spellcaster to gain the knowledge he sought, "Very well. I am a warrior of my word. If you help me identify the properties of my magical item, I will do you a favor in turn."

The predatory smirk re-emerged on Riley's face. The look sent a small chill down Oskar's spine. He had to remember he was dealing with a wizard. He may seem young and pretty, but his intelligence was unquestionable. Oskar would have to be careful dealing with him, as it could be dangerous.

"Excellent," Riley stuck out his slender hand, "So we have an accord?"

Oskar almost hesitated, but he was certain he could handle any task Riley had for him. He took the hand very gently. His gloves were off now, so he could feel the wizard's skin against his rough and calloused hands.

They were soft. Impossibly soft. Oskar had seen that Riley kept a garden at the very least. That should leave at least slight bumps and rough patches. But there was nothing of the sort. Oskar had a silly moment of wondering how he managed to keep his hands so soft before the thought came to him.

Probably magic.

However, as they shook hands, Oskar could swear he felt something else. A strange tingle went down his forearm and into his elbow. He looked at his arm curiously as he pulled his hand away.

"It's settled then!" Riley clapped his hands, breaking Oskar's concentration and bringing his attention back to the conversation at hand, "Let's see this magic item!"

Oskar nodded and reached not into his bag, but to a thin leather cord that was hidden by the collar of his shirt. He pulled it over his head and up and out, revealing the object dangling from it.

A small wooden amulet was at the end of the leather cord. To most people, it would seem like a useless trinket. It had two symbols carved across the face of it, one on each side. The symbols also appeared to be nonsense. A mix of curving lines and jagged corners in asymmetrical patterns. They didn't even match the other face of the amulet. Both symbols were different but equally disorientating to look at.

As Riley started to look over it with a keen eye, Oskar began to explain, "It belonged to my mother, who claimed it would protect and guide me. Though I have yet to notice a magical effect and would have wrote it off as her strange form of... encouragement. The only thing that would hint to its magical nature, is it was once inadvertently flung into a fireplace. When I went to retrieve it... rather hastily I might add... it was perfectly fine. There wasn't as much as a slight singe on an edge. That's when I started taking my mother seriously."

Riley, who had been listening and nodding, handed it back to him, "Alright, I know what it does."

Oskar blinked. He had been expecting...

"What?" Riley smirked again, "Were you expecting a light show? A ritual involving chalk and candles? Maybe a really intense research montage?"

Oskar shook his head slightly, "Excuse me saying so Riley Volstrand. But I'm starting to learn not to assume anything about you."

Riley gave a sort of self confident smile, "That's very intelligent of you."

"So..." Oskar shifted his weight slightly, "What does it do?"

"Well, she was sort of right about it protecting and guiding you," Riley claimed, "But in a very witchy way. You came in here calling me a witch, but you didn't say your mother knew some witchcraft."

Oskar's eyes widened, "My mother was not a witch. She was a warrior."

"Either way, she had this amulet. Which means she made it, or a witch gave it to her," Riley suggested with a shrug, "One way or another, it's designed to allow the wearer to be more easily approached by ancestral spirits."

Oskar frowned at that, "Ancestral spirits? Like ghosts of my family?"

"Sort of," Riley thought for a second, as if trying to figure out how to explain it in a way Oskar would understand, "You see... we're all energy. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. So when we die, our energy returns to the world around us. Sometimes, if a person believes in the idea of maintaining a bit of their personality beyond death, they can manifest that exact circumstance into being. So it's not really "ghosts" per say. That's a whole other story... no. It's more like energy that contains bits of your ancestors will."

Oskar was trying to take in all this information as coherently as possible. He thought for a moment and nodded slowly, "So this amulet can channel the energy around me that used to be my ancestors?"

Riley smiled at him with a look that was almost proud, "Just about exactly right. I love explaining things to someone who seems to actually he paying attention. It happens so rarely. To be honest Oskar, you're probably more of a rare commodity than your magical amulet."

Oskar felt the compliment warm him at his core. He was used to people complimenting his strength, but it was so rare for someone to say something about his intelligence.

"Thank you Mr.... I mean Riley..." He felt his ears go a little warm, so he cleared his throat and said, "So, is there a way to use this amulet? Or does it just eventually work on its own?"

"It will eventually do something," Riley claimed with a shrug, "Probably already has. Have you ever felt like you knew where to go without really knowing? It's probably how you found me, come to think of it."

Oskar furrowed his brow as he thought about that. Now that he was looking back on it, his strange sixth sense had only amplified after he had begun wearing the amulet.

He nodded slowly, "That too makes sense..."

Riley smirked again, "I'm glad I could help you figure out your little family mystery. If it's all the same to you, could you tell me why you were so desperate to find out its exact function? You seemed perfectly willing to agree to a favor from a strange mage in the woods in order to do so."

Oskar felt himself grimace slightly, "Before my mom died, she gave me this amulet and told me to take it to Overkstien. I didn't want to walk in there without knowing what it did, but I swore to my mother that I would do it. This is just... another step in a long road."

Riley raised an eyebrow, "Overkstien? That's a long way and a big place. Was she any more specific than that?"

"No." Oskar's answer was short, gruff, and filled with a note of irritation.

Riley's eyes went wide, detecting the frustration in his voice, "Well. I wish you luck in that endeavor, Oskar."

Oskar shook his head, snapping out of the headspace he'd just been in, "Thank you Riley. For your information, your hospitality, and your life saving drinks. I am now ready and willing to fulfill my favor to you."

Riley gave that same low, endearing chuckle, "Right now? My, you are an eager beaver, aren't you?"

"I prefer to not let debts go unpaid," Oskar said simply.

"Well, there's hardly enough time left in the day to go galivating off on some adventure," Riley waved a hand dismissively, "Besides, I'm going to need you to stay near this shack for the next seventy two hours."

Oskar furrowed his brow. His need to answer the call to action was great now that he had learned the amulet's purpose. The thought of staying still for that long was already making him antsy, and the wait hadn't even started yet.

"Don't give me that look," Riley chuckled, "You're the one that got stung by a Svenvasp Wasp. You spit out more venom than I've seen kill bears," Riley pointed a slender booted toe to the basket on the floor, "I don't care how many spirits you have protecting you, or how..." Riley suddenly sighed and looked Oskar up and down with hungry eyes, which made Oskar shift his weight uncomfortably again, "or how much muscle you've got. That much venom is dangerous and I need to make sure it doesn't have any negative side effects on you."

Oskar eyed Riley suspiciously, "That's a large amount of concern you're showing to a complete stranger."

Riley rolled his eyes, "If you suddenly start having heart issues because wasp venom has gotten into your cardiovascular system, you're not going to be able to fulfill your end of the bargain as reliably as you would without them. I'm simply ensuring that my favor has the highest chance of being done. Besides, I can think of some mutually beneficial... activities we can do in seventy two hours."