Chapter 11: Becoming The Wanderer

Andric had been traveling with the merchant caravan for thirty-two days, passing through three towns. When they stopped at the third town, he was invited by a fellow traveler to join him for drinks at a local tavern. That’s when Andric realized he didn’t have any money. It was a major oversight, and it needed fixing.

As he stared up at the night sky, Andric mulled over his options. Staying with the caravan meant slowly making his way to Mahtzig, then finding Uncle Raban and hoping for his support. Alternatively, if he left the caravan now, he could hide out in a nearby forest and continue opening his meridians in solitude. Without anyone around to see him use magic, he’d be much better off.

He was at a crossroads: stay and let his family dictate his path or take control of his own destiny. He had never received a letter directly from his relatives, and he could assume they viewed him similarly to his grandparents. Their letters to Alda were polite, but he’d only know their true feelings in person.

After weighing his options, Andric decided to make his move. He approached the wagon driver, who was resting nearby.

“Hey, I’ve decided to stop here instead of going all the way to Mahtzig,” Andric said. The wagon driver looked up. “I paid fifteen silver coins for the full trip, and since we’re about two-thirds of the way, I think I should get a refund for the remaining portion.”

The driver shook his head. “Nope. You paid for a full trip, and that’s what you’re getting. If you don’t want to go to Mahtzig, that’s your problem.”

Andric’s face tightened. Five silver coins were a lot to him. With that, he could buy food for weeks, find lodging, and get other essentials. He felt he deserved a partial refund, but the wagon driver wasn’t budging.

Frustrated but resigned, Andric grabbed his things and headed towards the small forest near the town where the caravan had stopped. The town of Handmund was closer to Mahtzig and had about three thousand residents. The nearby forest was large and easy to get lost in, especially at night. He walked several miles in, found a large tree, and sat against it.

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Andric planned to leave the Handmund area but wanted to leave a little surprise for the wagon driver first. He needed to wait until the caravan fell asleep. After a few minutes, he crafted a spell, charging it with mana. He launched it into the air, where it zoomed towards the caravan.

The spell detonated high above the wagons, releasing nearly invisible mana particles that quickly made everyone in the area fall asleep. Without any magicians in the caravan, they had no way to defend against the spell. People in tents and those sleeping outside were all affected.

Satisfied, Andric cast a second spell aimed at the wagon driver’s wagon. This spell was designed to remain dormant for twenty-one days before decomposing the wagon’s wooden frame. Andric figured it would be timed perfectly to activate just before they reached Mahtzig. With this, he felt he had settled his score with the wagon driver.

Next, Andric needed a more secluded spot to meditate and continue his meridian work. The maintained forest near Handmund wasn’t ideal, so he cast a spell to stay awake and another to make himself fly. Flying used a continuous-type spell, so he had to concentrate and keep one hand free. He held his roll of clothes with one hand, wore his straw hat, and cast a spell to reduce wind resistance. He took off, flying low and quickly away.

Flying was a common method of travel for magicians, while martialists used advanced techniques to achieve the same. Andric had only heard of these techniques and had never seen them in action. His biggest worry was encountering a flying martialist who could potentially outmatch him. He decided to stay hidden and cautious.

Before going into seclusion, Andric flew back towards the area where the bandits had attacked the caravan. He hoped to find them and take any valuables they had. While he wasn’t interested in trinkets like jewelry, he was after coins, spirit weapons, spirit armor, and spirit plants. He needed these to fund his research and further his magical studies.

At daybreak, Andric landed and hid as the chances of being spotted were higher during the day. He walked along the road, hoping someone would try to rob him so he could defend himself and potentially get what he needed. To attract attention, he used magic to create a shiny golden ring, hoping it would entice bandits despite his otherwise unremarkable appearance.

Andric grinned to himself, eagerly anticipating the chaos he was about to stir up.