NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 10
The way down the street was much more fun for me, even though I was going slower. It was all about the fact that I had to prove that I had earth magic. How do I do that? Simple! Demonstrate it. Do something to be believed and taught. That's what I've been doing on the road.
Of course, I realize that hardly anyone wants to be self-taught, but as proof, even the simplest manipulations will be useful. If I sum up all my work, I can manipulate a pebble no bigger than my fist. And that's it.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get much more out of myself. It was both infuriating and comforting that my second element was earth. If I had, say, the element of life, it might have been cool, but it would have been stupid because I would not have known how to train it. As it was, there were earth magicians here, so I'd be trained sooner or later.
It took me another week to get to the river, and a night and a half to get to the city itself. I was almost there when it started to get light. And as it got lighter and I got a better view of the city, I became more and more stunned.
A huge mountain surrounded by an equally huge canyon. There's a bridge from the beginning of the gorge to the gate. Yes, not only is it a mountain with a gorge, but on the mountain itself there is a ten meter high wall and no less huge gates. It's just creepy. And everything is so green, it's a blessing. And what a town square! Not only is the fence three or four kilometers in diameter, but the walls are up to ten meters high. I can't imagine how to storm it, except from the air.
The bridge I crossed was winding and long, but wide enough to accommodate several wagons. Three earthmages stood at the gate, two opening and closing it and the third inspecting the wagons. I soon approached them.
«Who are you? Why have you come to Omasha?» they asked me in a boorish manner.
«To learn earth magic», I replied calmly. Still, arguing with someone like that got me into trouble.
«And what makes you think you'll be taught here? Do you even have money?»
«Don't you need strong magicians?» I replied with a smile.
«Don't be rude, young man» I certainly don't look young. They call people like me wiry.
«I didn't start it», we stood there for a while. My interlocutor got redder and redder as he looked at my calm face. «So, can I pass??»
«Go away!» he barked in my face, pointing his finger in the opposite direction.
«Are you sure?»
«Go away, I said!» he shouted like a lunatic.
«You know, I could take offense. And retaliate», I spoke quietly so only he could hear. «Say, go to the Land of Fire and negotiate with them for training. After all, they must have prisoners with earth magic. And then, after I've learned there, I'll sneak quietly into the city and cut off your head», I said, slowly taking control of his body, and as soon as I finished speaking, the man was pale as chalk and could only speak softly. «Is that what you want?»
«No», he replied quietly with only his lips after realizing he couldn't even shake his head.
« So can I pass??» I asked with the same smile.
The man wanted to live and so I immediately heard his clear «Yes». Gradually I regained control of his body, and as I passed through the gate, I let him go. I wasn't afraid of being discovered. I could always run away from this city. Yes, it would be a shame if I'd come all this way for nothing.
Except I had another problem. Two problems. Not only do I not know who to approach to get trained, but the man was right, I don't think anyone would want to train me for free. No, I have some money, but it's for food and lodging.
My only other option is to join the army. But no matter how much the country brags and beats its chest, the training program in the army is designed for mass production of troops, not individual training. And I need the basics. So what should I do?
Should I go ask Bumi? What should I tell him? Don't you have great masters who can train great me? That's bullshit. But it's worth a try. Better than wandering around the city for no reason. So let's go to the king's palace, where I believe the administrative sector is located.