The Oasis Part 1

Skai begins to weep as he tries to hide his head with arms, "I can't tell the rest of it, not here not with Amira's father here?"

"Dinner is ready!", yells Ricky Hassan.

George stands up and leaves the room, but Alyssa stays to comfort Skai.

"You don't have to tell us until you are ready.", says Alyssa

"I need to get it off my chest, just not here, and not now.", says Skai

They both get up and walk to the dining table and eat the chili Ricky Hassan served them. Skai and Alyssa eat in silence as Ricky Hassan and George talk about George's time as a slave.

After they finish dinner they part ways with Ricky Hassan and go off to buy armor.

"Let's get going now.".

Alyssa, Skai, and George arrive at the oasis. All three of them have bags full of armor. There were a ton of palm trees, mud and grass which surrounded the little lake. Outside of the oasis in the sand there was a glowing blue line.

"We're here.", says Alyssa as she puts out her arm to stop Skai and George.

"What is that line?", asks Skai.

"That line is a barrier, she doesn't let anyone in unless they throw in a gold coin first.", says Alyssa as she scrounges around for a gold coin. She finds one in one of her pockets. She flicks the coin into the lake.

"So what is supposed to happen?", asks George.

"She is supposed to come up from the lake and greet the people who threw a coin in the lake.", says Alyssa as she looks around.

"Maybe she is like a troll under a bridge and is just a myth.", says Skai as he looks for a rock to sit on.

"Trolls are no myth, I've seen some nasty trolls.", says Alyssa as she sits down in the sand as she leans on her bag of armor.

"Yeah, I think she is real too.", says George.

Skai finds a rock and sits on it, "Do you have any proof?".

"No but I have faith."

"Faith is for the weak.", Skai pauses, "And I will no longer be weak from here on. If I want something to change I'll change it myself. If I want something I'll go get it myself."

"Yeah that is all good and everything, but people need to have faith in something.", says George as he walks closer to Skai.

Then the water rises to the middle and forms into a point. All of the water that rose into a point fell back down. The glowing blue line in the sand disappeared. Alyssa stands up and walks over to the lake, she sees in the center a staircase that goes down into the water. From the bottom of the staircase you could hear a bombing but frail voice, "Just a minute.". The voice pauses for a second and then says, "Just a quick second. I've gotten too old to be doing this.". Skai got up and walked towards the lake, George followed soon after. Skai began to speak, and his voice came out shaky, "Who. . . are you?". The voice from the water came again but softer and more quiet, "I am the Witch of the Well.". The witch rises from the staircase.

"Witch of the well? What well? And were you just walking on water?, Alyssa says quickly.

"I was walking on water. It is just simple water magic. Have you never heard the story of the well?", says the witch.

"No I haven't.", says Alyssa.

"Well I guess that would be for when you get into the city but that will take you a while."

"What do you mean when we get in?", asks Skai.

"Well you have to teach yourself basic water magic to get into the city. The city is at the bottom of the lake. You need to learn water magic, so you can swim down there.", The witch pauses and then walks back down into the staircase, "Good luck, but I think you guys can do it, you've got a strong magical essence."

"The blue line disappeared. What does that mean?", asks George.

"I think that means we can walk through the mud and into the oasis.", replies Alyssa.

Skai walks into the mud, nothing happens, so Alyssa follows and then George. They set their bags down into the grass.

"Do any of you know how to use magic?", asks Skai.

"No I don't, I was never taught.", quickly replies Alyssa.

"I have no clue.", says George.

Skai walks through the mud and then dives into the water. Skai is hit with a cool blast of water. He looks down into the depths and it is pitch black. Skai sinks further down into the cool dark water. A slippery scaled thing brushed by Skai's leg. He was still sinking but his head felt like an elephant was stepping on it. He begins to feel like he was suffocating. He couldn't breath and he began to quickly swim up. He emerged from the cool water gasping for air.

"It is way too deep to swim down there.", says Skai as he walks over to the grassy area.

"So how do we teach ourselves to use water magic?", asks Alyssa.

"Why don't we call her back up and pay for a book on the basics of magic.", suggests George.

Alyssa throws another gold coin back into the lake, "You know I am not rich, right?"

"Well why didn't you have the prince throw the coin in then.", says George.

"I am not a prince.", states Skai unemotionally.

"But aren't you the son of the king?", asks Alyssa.

"No but he considers me his son."

"So why were you chained up?", asks George.

"I can't tell you that, yet, I don't trust either of you quite that much."

"What if we swear an oath?", quickly asks George.

"An oath is serious George, you know that right?", asks Alyssa.

"I know but we are all empty, we have nothing to do after we save the kingdom."

"I have to protect Draco, Godfrey, and the kingdom after the siege.", says Skai as he sits down by his bag.

"What if the kingdom is destroyed?"

"I'll die with it, I have nothing else.", says Skai.

"Exactly all of us have nothing else."

"He has a point, Skai, but swear an oath to what?", asks Alyssa.

"Well, are you a knighted warrior, Alyssa?"

"Yes I am, why?"

"So that means you can make a group of knight-errants." George pauses long enough for Alyssa to reply.

"Yes."

"We will fight for the kingdom and all of the kingdoms that have fallen to a raid.", says George as he walks towards the lake.

"I'll only join and swear an oath to this group if the kingdom loses.", Skai quickly says.

"I guess I could make a group of all of those who agree with us.", Alyssa pauses, "But you two will also have to be knighted."

"Why?", asks George.

"Because then we would be a bunch of lawless idiots running around with swords.", bluntly says Skai.

"And because we would not be a legal group of knights and whatever kingdom we are in could arrest us.", softly says Alyssa.

"Couldn't we just say we are travelers passing by?", asks George.

"No, because travelers are not allowed to have weapons in any of the kingdoms that I know of and then we would get arrested for carrying weapons.", says Alyssa.

Then the water emerged from the center of the lake, "What the hell do you guys want now?", she says in a frail voice.

"We wanted to know if you happen to have a book on the basics of magic?", politely asks Alyssa.

"Yes I do. But it'll cost you about five silver pieces."

"Ok well I only have six pieces left.", Alyssa pauses and searches her pockets, "Yeah I only got a gold coin and a silver coin, so that's six."

"Ok I guess that'll be enough.", she pauses as a book arises out of the water. She throws the book to Alyssa and Alyssa catches it with both hands, "There you go so stop bothering me now, until you can make it to my house."

The sun was beginning to set. On the horizon there was a beautiful orange glow. Alyssa was getting a fire started in the sand next to the oasis, using the wood from the palm trees and grass. Skai was reading the book in the grass by their bags. George was swinging his short steel sword in the sand. Skai looks up from the book and asks, "What are we going to eat?".

"We will get some fish from the lake.", says Alyssa as she sits in the sand by the fire.

"How are we going to catch the fish?", quickly asks Skai.

"Well that is a good question.", Alyssa pauses as she walks over to the bags, "Hey! George, do you have any fishing line or a net?".

George stops swinging his sword and looks over at her, "I actually do have a net for fishing. Just look in my bag.".

Alyssa walks over to George's bag and starts going through it, and she pulls out a net, "Yeah this should work, thank you. So is that book any help?".

"Yeah it teaches the basics of magic, like the technical stuff, not like how to do anything.".

"Ok let's talk about it when we catch a fish. George, come over here!", yells Alyssa.

"Ok, what?"

"Who wants to throw in the net?", asks Alyssa.

"I can do it. I've some experience.", replies George as he goes and grabs the net.

"So how does magic work, Skai?", asks Alyssa.

"Well it says first that there are

six different types of magic.", Skai pauses, "The types are water, earth, air, fire, knowledge, and necromancy."

"So how do you use them?", asks Alyssa.

"Well this book doesn't show how to use knowledge or necromancy magic but it does have all the others.", Skai pauses and flips the page, "The element magics are the second hardest types of magic. They are all based on the control of that element around you."

"Ok so is this a good place to practice water magic?"

"Yes it is, and the first thing we need to do for water magic is learn how to breathe in water."

"So how do we learn how to breathe in water?"

"By learning how to take in the chemicals we need from the water around us. We should meditate and spend most of the day in the water. Then over time we will just be able to take a breath of water in."

"But how do we withstand the pressure?"

"We need to learn how to control the water that we swim in and then will we be able to swim down there."

"Ok, thanks for reading."

"Yes of course.", Skai pauses and then he sets the book down and continues, "One thing that scares me is that necromancy is real. Could there really be people who can revive the dead and people who are omniscient?"

"Maybe that is true, maybe it is a myth, until we meet people who can do that type of magic, we won't know.", says Alyssa.

George has been repeatedly throwing them in the net and pulling it out. George finally catches a fish in the net and pulls it out.

"I got something!", yells George.

"What is that, like three pounds?", says Skai in a snarky tone.

"It'll be good enough.", says Alyssa.

The sun had dropped below the horizon and all three of them were sitting around the campfire and the fish's bones were on a stick above the flame. The desert sand became cool and so did the air, but the fire let out some warmth.

"So how do we become knighted?", asks George while taking a bite of the piece of fish in his hand.

"Well you will have to take a test in a kingdom.", said Alyssa.

"Does it matter what kingdom?" Skai asks.

"Yes it does. It has to be in a kingdom in one of the three unions.", says Alyssa.

"What unions?", asks George as his voice becomes muffled from chewing the fish.

"The three kingdom unions are the Elf Union, Goldton Bank Union, and the Eastern Human Union."

"So what is the test?", asks Skai.

"Well one part is that you will be sat down next to someone who will assest why you want to be a knight, and if that is honorable, then you will have to pass some kind of physical test.", says Alyssa.

"Ok lets get knighted after we meet the witch again.", Skai says.

"What do we need to do when we meet the witch?", asks George.

"Well she knows how to grind up power orb shards and put them in a drink. Also I was supposed to drop you off, so she can protect you, but I don't trust her for some reason.", says Alyssa.

"Wait, she can grind up power orb shards?", asks George.

"Yes, why?", Alyssa asks while leaning closer in.

"Well I stole one from my master when I was out at sea.", says George.

"Wait your master? Were you a slave?", quickly asks Skai.

"Yes I was.", replies George in a somber tone.

"Maybe the shard is what Zala sensed and that is why she wanted me to bring you here. Why didn't you say anything?", asks Ayssa.

"Well I didn't know if I could trust you two yet but now I think I can.", says George.

"Ok can we see it?", asks Alyssa.

George gets up and walks over to the bags, which are near Skai, and looks through his bag. He pulls out a small, turquoise, glowing shard. He hands it to Skai, Skai examines it, and then Skai hands it to Alyssa.

"Wow! I didn't know there was a turquoise colored shard. Do you think the witch might have a book of all of the shards?", asks Alyssa.

"Maybe. Do you know where your master got this shard?", asks Skai.

"He got it somewhere out at sea.", said George.

"Well then the power probably has to do with the ocean.", says Skai.

"Yeah, but no more secrets between us from now on, agreed?", asks Alyssa.

"That is fine.", says George.

Skai sighs and then says, "Even if we win the siege, if the kingdom says they don't need me then I'll swear an oath to you two. I do agree from this day forward no secrets."

"Ok starting with me we'll tell our stories.", says Alyssa.