Expanded Horizons: Beyond the Blue

Flammability: Chapter Two

Clare looked out at the crowd before her, shocked at how many would answer her call to arms. She put out word, through flyers and cryers, that her son was viciously attacked, unprovoked, by a man of the unknown monastery that was responsible for stealing children in the night. She knew all of it was lies, from the attack to stealing children, but that was of no concern. Not to her. She nervously stepped to the edge of her small platform to make her address.

"People of Rainier!" she called, silencing the crowd before her. "Though we never knew, we always had the closest proximity to the monastery of the Order of One Way. Few ever knew anything of these vile people, save for the scraps we could get from the wiped minds of those who escaped them. But now, we know everything we need to."

The crowd cheered her on, eager to hear the rest of what she had to say. It was easy to lead them down this path. In its however-many thousands of years, the monastery had always managed to remain hidden, its only influence on the world the monks occasionally seen taking unwanted or lone children away to its unknown reaches. Few knew what happened after that. Not even those who managed to get out, as their memories were erased to keep the secrets out of reach.

"They have long stolen children from us, spirited away to whatever hellish reaches they use to hide away. Coming down to prey on the weak and timid. They tried to keep us out, to hide their vile ways. But now we have seen it; I have seen it.

"They came down, attacked my boy. Destroyed him. He barely breathes, even now. I don't know how much longer he has." She choked out the words, her wild array of emotions overtaking her. "The doctors say he can't be fixed. But they have a way! They have the way to save him, and they keep it to themselves!"

"Selfish bastards!"

"Let's get 'em!"

"I can lead the way!" Clare said. "They thought they could hide, but they forgot one detail; the map, only readable by those who seek knowledge!" Clare held up the map and displayed it. Those in the front of the crowd showed visible confusion. "I seek only the knowledge to save my boy! I can read the map, and I can lead the way! I only ask that you come so that they cannot turn me away!"

"They won't stop us!"

"They can't keep us all out!"

The crowd went wild. What had started only two days ago as a small group of curious onlookers became a frenzied crowd of hundreds of supporters, ranging from young townsmen eager for a fight to middle-aged women here to support a grieving mother trying to save her boy from imminent death. She had riled up a force to be reckoned with.

"Please, my fellow citizens, do not let these thugs abuse us any longer!" Clare shouted over the crowd. "Let us go, and end this farce of an order once and for all!"

The crowd cheered and roared in support, and Clare stepped off her stage and walked past the guards who were sent to keep order. She'd had quite a few of them come to support her as well, but the city wouldn't allow them to go for fear of monsters or bandits coming in its weakened state.

"That was powerful, ma'am," one of the guards said as she passed. "I hope you can find the magic to save your boy."

"Thank you," Clare said dismissively. She passed on, crowd-goers nearby cheering for her and wishing both the best for her son and the worst upon the Order of One Way. She could hear the threats of violence they were making, the lust for blood. She paid it no mind.

Before she could get out of the area to collect the things she would need for the trip, an older woman ran up to her.

"Hello, young miss," she said.

"Hello," she replied emptily. She tried to press forward, but the woman held her arm. "Can I help you?"

"I understand these people did something rather terrible to your boy," she said. "But you do know, bringing this crowd up that mountain will bring blood."

"Blood that they must pay for what they've done."

"That isn't the only blood to be paid in this exchange."

"There is a price to pay for long-term safety and health." Clare's son was dying. If he was to survive, to live a real life, blood would have to be paid. "These people have done nothing for us, for anyone but themselves. Their blood is a small price to pay." Clare pulled her arm from the woman and kept walking, eager to get on her way.

As she walked home, she passed the hospital where her boy lay unconscious. She knew the mystery payment they received to care for him had come from the stranger, though how he mustered that kind of money, she had no clue. If he was willing to pay that much money, and put that much magical prowess into caring for her son in exchange for getting him to this place, there must have been a lot of value in this debt he had to collect. Though for the life of her, Clare could not figure out what that could even be.

When Clare reached her home, she was quick about supplying herself. She knew the journey up the mountain would be long, possibly days, so she bought plenty of food and camping supplies ahead of time. There would surely be some men in the force that would help her make it up the mountain, as she was the only one who could lead and the only one who could provide them with their tiny war.

When she was packed and ready to go, Clare set out to lead the charge up the mountain, praying she would be able to retrieve the knowledge she was looking for and save her boy. He was her entire world, the only thing she had left, and she would save her world no matter the price.